Drug Discovery Targeting Genomic Approach

Abstract

The drug discovery process is not a predefined series of steps. Modern approaches include target-based drug discovery in which researchers need to survey genetic profile like never before. Genomics, particularly high‐throughput sequencing and characterization of expressed human genes, has created new opportunities for drug discovery. Knowledge of all the human genes and their functions may allow effective preventive measures, and change drug research strategy and drug discovery development processes. Pharmacogenomics is the application of genomic technologies such as gene sequencing, statistical genetics, and gene expression analysis to drugs in clinical development and on the market. It applies the large‐scale systematic approaches of genomics to speed the discovery of drug response markers, whether they act at the level of the drug target, drug metabolism, or disease pathways. The two most important needs for this type of technology are to find more effective biomarkers for disease detection and discover gene to which therapeutic drugs can be targeted. It is well-known that the risks are high in drug discovery process and there are long timelines to be passed before it is known whether a candidate drug will succeed or fail. Making accurate decisions within an accelerated process is the key to success to the pharmaceutical companies. Genomics revolution had a very positive impact upon these issues and now proteomics is in the field as a powerful new partner of genomics. Each step of the process from target discovery to clinical trials is accessible to genomics. Scientists are able to see every dimension of their biological focus, from genes, mRNA, proteins and their sub cellular localization. This will greatly assist our understanding of the fundamental mechanistic basis of human disease and will allow discovery of improved, speedier, less toxic and hopefully, inexpensive drugs.