tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3801494331275224290.post4147453406387512946..comments2023-05-22T06:47:37.824-04:00Comments on Pharmaceutical - Life Sciences- Industry Services, Globalization & Consultants: WHY BIG PHARMA CAN’T DISCOVER DRUGSThe Consultant's Consultanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11492932087569064745noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3801494331275224290.post-66998679436890237572008-02-19T21:34:00.000-05:002008-02-19T21:34:00.000-05:00This was commentary was posted on http://pharmgoss...This was commentary was posted on http://pharmgossip.blogspot.com whom quoted this article extensively:<BR/><BR/>"sroy said...<BR/><BR/>Maybe another reason for this debacle is that drug research today is increasingly led by findings from animal models of disease that have no real similarity with the human form of the disease. <BR/><BR/>In the 'old days' people first tried to understand the human form of the condition (as best as they could) and then searched for animal models that were very similar.<BR/><BR/>Nowadays the usual pattern goes somewhat like this- Some ambitious academic/ industry scientist selects a pet hobby horse (target) and makes some mutations in some animal (or selects some very defective inbred strain) that produces the desired results. They then try to 'sell' that as a good model of the disease. <BR/><BR/>In such a scenario the best salesmen (often the worst scientist) can best promote their model. Consequently any drug developed to treat the condition in that animal might cure that animal but have no or suboptimal therapeutic activity in humans. <BR/><BR/>A related situation is encountered when animal studies do not clearly show potential but foreseeable problems in human beings.<BR/><BR/>If you do not believe this, think of the real reasons drugs fail in phase III or beyond. A few examples include- torcetrapib (cetp inhibitor), ezetimibe (NPC1-L1 inhibitor), rofecoxib (cox-2 inhibitor), rimonabant (cannabinoid antagonist), varencline (partial nicotinergic antagonism)to name a few.<BR/><BR/>In each case there was either<BR/><BR/>a] less than satisfactory evidence for involvement of the proposed target in the disease (are LDL or HDL cholesterol levels/ ratios a proxy for increased risk to CVD or the cause in most humans?).<BR/><BR/>or b] poor understanding of the other roles of the receptor in normal human physiology (cox-2 inhibition, cannabinoid antagonism, partial nicotinergic antagonism).<BR/><BR/>3:19 AM"The Consultant's Consultanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11492932087569064745noreply@blogger.com