Rational drug design, medicinal chemistry, planned serendipity and the impact of automation on the drug discovery process
1993

The Impact of Automation on Drug Discovery

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Sein O'Connor

Primary Institution: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute

Hypothesis

How do different drug discovery methods compare in effectiveness and innovation?

Conclusion

Recent advancements in automation have significantly improved the drug discovery process by increasing sample throughput and enabling a new equilibrium among various lead discovery methods.

Supporting Evidence

  • Medicinal chemistry has historically been the first method of drug discovery.
  • Empirical screening can lead to unexpected discoveries.
  • Rational drug design relies heavily on advanced technologies like X-ray crystallography and computer modeling.
  • Automation has increased the sample throughput capability significantly in drug discovery.

Takeaway

Scientists are finding new medicines faster now because they have better machines to help them look through lots of samples quickly.

Methodology

The paper discusses three main drug discovery methods: medicinal chemistry, empirical screening, and rational drug design, and examines the role of automation in enhancing these processes.

Limitations

The rational drug design approach has not yet produced many measurable successes despite significant investment.

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