Drug Discovery
You've found an interesting gene. Now all you need to do is run a screen, and you're off to the races, right?
Not exactly. Before running a screen, one must ask whether an in vitro or a cell-based screen is more appropriate. If cell-based, what's the readout?
Actually, one must take many more steps backward, and ask what type of clinical trial you would run on a drug candidate. What type of clinical endpoint would one use for a measure of clinical efficacy? Are there biomarkers? What type of animal model will you use to triage molecules to pick a drug candidate? What is the profile of a drug candidate? (what potency is necessary? what pharmacokinetic parameters are required? What types of toxicities must be anticipated?)
Then, one might wonder what type of screen to run. What collection of molecules should be screened? What is the format of the assay? Does one need a full-blown HTS (high-throughput screen), or would a medium throughput screen against a subset of molecules work? Would virtual screening be appropriate?
This is just the beginning. And, furthermore, one must set reasonable expectations for the time and effort required to find a good drug candidate. The goal is not just to get a molecule in the clinic - the goal is to get to a marketed drug.
We can help you answer these questions - or find answers to these questions - for your drug target of interest.
Not exactly. Before running a screen, one must ask whether an in vitro or a cell-based screen is more appropriate. If cell-based, what's the readout?
Actually, one must take many more steps backward, and ask what type of clinical trial you would run on a drug candidate. What type of clinical endpoint would one use for a measure of clinical efficacy? Are there biomarkers? What type of animal model will you use to triage molecules to pick a drug candidate? What is the profile of a drug candidate? (what potency is necessary? what pharmacokinetic parameters are required? What types of toxicities must be anticipated?)
Then, one might wonder what type of screen to run. What collection of molecules should be screened? What is the format of the assay? Does one need a full-blown HTS (high-throughput screen), or would a medium throughput screen against a subset of molecules work? Would virtual screening be appropriate?
This is just the beginning. And, furthermore, one must set reasonable expectations for the time and effort required to find a good drug candidate. The goal is not just to get a molecule in the clinic - the goal is to get to a marketed drug.
We can help you answer these questions - or find answers to these questions - for your drug target of interest.