When most of us think of pharmaceutical R&D, our thoughts turn towards human clinical trials. However, there are years of research and thousands of failed attempts before a drug reaches that point.

The drug discovery process begins when scientists in academia, research institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies identify the cellular and genetic factors that play a role in a certain disease. Scientists then search for chemical and biological substances that target these biological markers in the hope that they will produce therapeutic effects. Successful compounds are tested to ensure they are safe to use in human volunteers for clinical testing, with about five out of 5,000 new compounds deemed safe for human trials. Three to six years of clinical testing later, one of these compounds could be approved and marketed for treatment.

As a whole, the expenses and time for discovering a drug and bringing it to market can cost a company around USD 1 billion over 10 to 12 years. As the years go, the pharma industry continues to struggle in developing cures for the diseases that plague the world; HIV, cancer, diabetes, CNS disorders and many others are lacking novel and effective therapies. With pharma and biotech companies spending valuable time, money, and resources into discovering a drug candidate, it is essential for discovery scientists to work together in finding the best technologies and strategies to speed the process.

The completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 has aided the discovery industry in creating effective targets and thus novel therapies. A greater understanding of our genes has paved the way for further study in the "omics" field â€" genomics, proteomics and metabolomics â€" which is aimed at studying the contributions of genes, proteins, and metabolic pathways in human physiology. Understanding the pathways that lead to disease susceptibility helps scientists to identify the compounds that will target these biomarkers.

The study of "omics" has also allowed for the advent of personalized medicine. As it relates to drug discovery, personalized medicine involves developing treatments tailored to a specific subset of the population with a similar genetic make-up. This will ultimately improve the cost/benefit ratio of a particular drug and its ability to have a therapeutic effect. The healthcare legislation recently passed has put personalized medicine on its agenda, emphasizing that future research include genetic and molecular subtyping.

While researchers around the world strive to shorten the discovery process through various methods, they are most hindered by the amount of information that is lost between companies. In an effort to maintain their competitive edge, pharma and biotech companies have traditionally not shared their research results. As a result, companies spend billions on testing compounds while other research efforts might already have concluded on the efficacy and safety of these entities. Many academic and industry partnerships have been forged to combat this problem, but industry to industry collaborations are few and far between. By sharing information, scientists can shave off years of research and increase the rate of discovery of novel therapies.

While the discovery field faces many daunting challenges, recent advances in the industry have given scientists new directions for future research. As academic institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies band together for a common goal, new technologies and strategies are being created every day, which could succeed in decreasing the time and cost for discovering the life-saving treatments that are desperately needed worldwide.

About the Discovery Summit 2010

This unique forum will take place at the Red Rock Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 19-21, 2010. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The summit includes presentations on progress in unmet needs, optimizing the use of biomarkers and personalized medicine.

Event website.

Please note that the summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

Source:
Discovery Summit 2010