Pharmacology: Drug discovery

Question 1

What are the top three drug categories?

Answer 1

Antiparasitics
Biologicals (vaccines)
Anti-infectives

Question 2

What are the stages of drug discovery?

Answer 2

Target identification and validation
Hit finding
Lead optimisation
Proof of concept

Question 3

What are the stages of drug development?

Answer 3

Proof of concept 
Exporation of potential product
Full development of product and clinical trials
Registration 
Commercial product surveillance

Question 4

What is lead optimisation?

Answer 4

Chemical modification of lead compounds to increase the potency, selectivity and metabolic stability (Lock and Key analogy).

Question 5

How do drug companies prove their concept?

Answer 5

Small group of (target) animals
Confirm the drug’s potential
Initial PK testing
Reduces attrition rate / cost

Question 6

What activities occur in the exploratory development stage?

Answer 6

Potential product characterization
Formulation / dose regimen
Safety testing
Pharmacokinetic testing (required for registration)
Chemical & pharmaceutical development: Feasibility of large scale synthesis / Purification / Chemical stability / Formulation

Question 7

How do companies carry out safety testing in the exploratory stage?

Answer 7

Preliminary toxicological testing (often laboratory animals)
Maximum non toxic dose + therapeutic index
Postmortem histological examination of tissue damage