Molecular Mechanisms of Drug Actions and Targets

Abstract

In the last 10 years, an average of one drug was withdrawn from the market per year. Using selected examples of drugs whose development/application has been abandoned, the present paradigms of molecular drug actions, the concepts behind clinical studies and the problems encountered/the questions raised will be analysed and discussed.

Objective

The significance and limitations of the modern understanding of molecular mechanisms of drug action will be analysed and discussed. Drug actions in experimental models shall be compared to drug actions in complex systems such as the human organism and heterogenous patient populations.

Content

„Was it the Molecule or the Mechanism?“ In December 2006, Pfizer stopped a large phase III study on the prevention of artheriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease with Torcetrapib and Atrovastatin. 800 million dollars in development costs and 21 billion dollars in stocks were annihilated overnight. This is not a single case. In the last 10 years, an average of one drug was withdrawn from the market per year. The reasons for these withdrawals were unexpected side effects and toxicity. This clearly shows that the predictive value of the current understanding of the mechansims of drug actions has it’s limitations. During the course „Was ist the Molecule of the Mechanism?“ the present paradigms of molecular drug actions, the concepts behind clinical studies and the problems encountered/the questions raised will be analysed and discussed using selected examples of drugs whose development/application has been abandoned.

Resources