The Science and Business of Drug Discovery

Introduction.- Introduction to Drugs and Drug Targets.- Background to Chemistry of Small and Large Molecules.- Laying the Foundations: Drug Discovery from Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century.- Drug Discovery Pipeline Overview.- Target Discovery.- Medicinal Chemistry.- Biotherapeutics.- Screening for Hits.- Process Chemistry and Formulation.- Preclinical Development.- Clinical Trials.- Regulatory Affairs and Marketing Approval.- Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine.- Putting it All Together: A Drug Development Case History.- Commercial Aspects of Drug Development.- Challenges and Responses.- Technology Transfer Executives.- Recruitment Executives.- Pharmaceutical Translators and Interpreters.

Dr. Edward D. Zanders has over twenty years' experience as a scientist and research manager in both a major pharmaceutical company and in smaller biotechnology organizations. He has been responsible for a number of drug discovery programs for diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis and has been involved in research management at a senior level. He has also published extensively on subjects ranging from biochemistry and immunology to computer-aided drug design; more recently he has written about the application of online networking to drug discovery. In 2004 he founded PharmaGuide Ltd, a training and consultancy company that delivers courses on the drug discovery industry to various professional groups including technology transfer executives, recruiters and technical translators. It is through delivering these courses that he has been able to develop his own way of conveying complex information about drug discovery to non scientists, while at the same time being able to communicate with PhD level scientists at their level of expertise.

From the reviews:

"'The Science and Business of Drug Discovery: Demystifying the Jargon' is an engaging, comprehensive and straightforward review of drug discovery and development. The book is ideal for anyone who wants to understand how their work fits into the overall scheme or needs to communicate with people from other specialties." (Norman M. Goldfarb, Journal of Clinical Research Best Practices, Vol. 8 (4), April, 2012)

"A 'thorough review of the technical and business aspects of drug discovery that can be understood by a reader with little scientific knowledge.' ... Zanders tries to use as little jargon as possible in explaining how drugs work, and he provides case histories of certain drugs. ... each chapter can stand alone, letting readers choose what interests them. Enhancing the text are an excellent glossary and suggestions for further reading. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Chemistry, pharmacy, and medical collections supporting upper-level undergraduates and above." (N. Kupferberg, Choice, Vol. 49 (5), January, 2012)

"The book excellently highlights many scientific and technological developments, breakthroughs, and their impacts on pharmaceutical R&D at its various stages and thus provides interesting reading for students, professionals, and even experts in scientific disciplines relevant to drug discovery and development ... . the book can also be recommended as excellent reading to all those who would like to break through the walls of esotericism of the many disciplines and technologies or expert circles involved in the pharmaceutical business." (Klaus Müller, ChemMedChem, Vol. 7, 2012)

From the reviews:

"'The Science and Business of Drug Discovery: Demystifying the Jargon' is an engaging, comprehensive and straightforward review of drug discovery and development. The book is ideal for anyone who wants to understand how their work fits into the overall scheme or needs to communicate with people from other specialties." (Norman M. Goldfarb, Journal of Clinical Research Best Practices, Vol. 8 (4), April, 2012)

"A 'thorough review of the technical and business aspects of drug discovery that can be understood by a reader with little scientific knowledge.' ... Zanders tries to use as little jargon as possible in explaining how drugs work, and he provides case histories of certain drugs. ... each chapter can stand alone, letting readers choose what interests them. Enhancing the text are an excellent glossary and suggestions for further reading. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Chemistry, pharmacy, and medical collections supporting upper-level undergraduates and above." (N. Kupferberg, Choice, Vol. 49 (5), January, 2012)

"The book excellently highlights many scientific and technological developments, breakthroughs, and their impacts on pharmaceutical R&D at its various stages and thus provides interesting reading for students, professionals, and even experts in scientific disciplines relevant to drug discovery and development ... . the book can also be recommended as excellent reading to all those who would like to break through the walls of esotericism of the many disciplines and technologies or expert circles involved in the pharmaceutical business." (Klaus Müller, ChemMedChem, Vol. 7, 2012)