Basic Principles of Drug Discovery and Development

The drug discovery and development process involves individuals and teams with a wide array of expertise ranging from basic sciences (medicinal chemistry, biology) to applied science (pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical sciences) to business driven fields (regulatory affairs, intellectual property experts, marketing specialists). The success or failure of a program focused on bringing a new medication to market often depends on clear communication between individuals and teams with vastly different expertise. As a result, it is critical that experts in one aspect of drug discovery and development (e.g. medicinal chemists) have at minimum a working understanding of the wide range of disciplines that take part in the overall process.

The various field of science associated with drug discovery and development are constantly evolving. New technologies and methods become available on a regular basis, previously unknown biological targets are routinely discovered, and as the world discovered with COVID‐19, nature creates potential threats to human health at unpredictable moments. Scientist must keep up with these changes and students interested in the various scientific disciplines associated with drug discovery and development must be provide with up to date resource material. As a result of this need, textbooks that cover drug discovery and development must be routinely updated in order to stay relevant. Basic Principles of Drug Discovery and Development must be updated to maintain its position as a primary teaching tool and reference text for the next generation of scientists.

This book provides the reader with a unique overview of the drug discovery and development program not available elsewhere. Each chapter provides sufficient technical details on the topics covered such that non-experts in a field will have the tools and information necessary to interact with and exchange information with colleagues across the entire spectrum of the drug discovery and development process.