Track 2: Drug Discovery and Development

Drug discovery and development is the complex and multi-step process of creating new medications to treat diseases. It involves everything from identifying potential drug targets to developing a safe and effective drug for use in patients. This process typically takes many years and is highly regulated to ensure that new medications are both safe and effective. Below is a breakdown of the major stages involved:

The drug discovery phase focuses on finding new compounds that could potentially treat a disease or medical condition. It typically involves several key steps:

Target Identification

• Researchers first identify a biological target, often a protein, enzyme, or gene, that plays a crucial role in a disease. This target is usually involved in the disease process, such as an abnormality in a cell or tissue that causes or exacerbates the condition.
• Common targets include receptors, enzymes, or ion channels that influence disease mechanisms.

Hit Discovery

• Once a target is identified, the next step is finding small molecules or biologics (e.g., antibodies) that can interact with the target and influence its activity.
• This can involve high-throughput screening (HTS), where thousands of compounds are tested for their ability to interact with the target.