Drug Discovery

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Drug is a chemical which alters the processes in the organism, which is used in the medicine for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the diseases (Farlex, 2011). Drug discovery is a long term process that needs money investment. The process of drug investigation takes approximately from 9 to 15 years during which the number of chemicals that can become drug is reduced from 10,000 to 1-2 (Saparov, 2011). Even after manufacturing the drug is studied by scientists for modifying its structure, delivery and effects on the organism. Drug discovery consists of several stages which help to examine its effectiveness and side effects.

Pre-discovery process is the first stage of drug discovery. During Pre-discovery stage chemists and pharmacologists endeavor to understand and identify the factors which can play a significant role in the particular disease. After revealing the cause of disease or understanding it a target molecule against which drug will act is being chosen. In order to understand the structure the target molecule is eliminated, isolated and its various interactions are inquired. Understanding interactions of the molecule can be helpful in finding treatment of a specific disease. Next stage includes the demonstration that the chosen molecule is relevant to the disease and proof that the drug target is associated with a desired change in the behavior of diseased cells (PPD, 2011).

The second stage of the discovery process is a drug discovery itself. Its main goal is to find a lead compound. Lead molecule is a promising compound that has a potential to become drug. There are several ways to find the lead compound, they include nature, de novo, high- throughput screening and biotechnological methods. For many centuries drug...

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...d time. It consists of pre-discovery and discovery, development, clinical trials and manufacturing processes. During each step potential drugs are modified and side effects are reduced, even after manufacturing the drugs are monitored and periodically conditions of patients are reported to FDA. An investment of money by pharmaceutical company is a huge risk since sometimes drugs are very hazardous. Therefore, they cannot be used and the process begins again.

References

1. Dr. Saparov, A. (2011). Drug Discovery. Power point presentation.

2. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. (2007). Drug Discovery and Development. Retrieved from: http://www.phrma.org/sites/default/files/159/rd_brochure_022307.pdf

3. Campbell, N. A. & J. B. Reece, 8th eds. (2008). Biology. San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.

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