Innovation:Layout 1 14/1/10 19:56 Page 29
Drug Discovery
Figure 1
The components of the optical
CCD array
train for back scattering
interferometry (BSI) are
shown along with an
interference fringe pattern.
Fringe pattern
These fringe patterns are
mathematically converted to a
Computer
Mirror
form from which the shift is
measured. Courtesy of Dr Darryl
Bornhop of Vanderbilt University
HeNe laser and Molecular Sensing, Inc
Temperature-controlled
microchip
cost of a new product unless there is more than a how long. The severe worldwide economic down-
fair chance of it being successful? turn of 2008 and 2009 nipped any innovation
There is one more important aspect of innova- recovery that may have been developing. Just as
tion that is exemplified by HTS. Does HTS, or any there is a long lag phase from drug discovery to an
field in question, need that much more innovation? approved drug, there is also a lag between R&D
Most of the goals of HTS have been met to the and a commercial product. Until there are signs
point where the downstream processes (profiling, that customers are ready to invest in new products,
lead optimisation) cannot keep up. Some of the vendors will delay their investments in R&D.
testing once done downstream, such as hit valida- There are investments being made, but most of
tion and optimisation, were taken up by HTS since these are in lower risk, short time-to-market prod-
they had the capacity and quality to do more. If ucts and not innovation. The cycle of innovation
there is already a backlog from HTS, why invest referred to earlier has been badly damaged and
more to increase the backlog? needs time to re-establish itself.
There is still a need for improvements in HTS,
but there are more important places to focus. There is still innovation
Approximately 50% of drug candidates fail in While there is still concern about the uphill battle
Phase I and II clinical trials because of toxicity or to develop and market innovative products, it has
lack of efficacy. The development of physiological- not ceased altogether. There are a number of exam-
ly relevant targets, assays (screening and ADMET) ples that could be used, but let’s focus on two that
and cell-based models are more critical than incre- cover a range of innovation discussed earlier.
mental improvements in cost and efficiency in As much as homogenous fluorescent methods
HTS. The needs of drug discovery are changing (and similar assay technology innovations) have
and so must the focus of investment. This is a crit- advanced drug discovery, they do not have univer-
ical change and will have a major impact on where sal applications and there is always the inherent
technology developers apply their resources for the danger that labels or conjugated molecules of any
next wave of innovation. type will change the interactions being measured.
For these reasons, along with the expense and
The current situation labelling time, there has been considerable activity
While there were signs of recovery after the eco- in the search for reproducible and inexpensive
nomic downturn of the early 2000s, the atmos- label-free technologies. There are few drug discov-
phere for new technology remained decidedly ery conferences that do not include this topic. One
guarded. Pharmas were cautious about risk, ven- of these promising technologies is back scattering
dor companies remained largely focused on incre- interferometry (BSI). Interferometry as an optical
mental improvements and venture capital compa- measuring method has a long history of theoretical
nies were very careful in what they funded and for background and use in academic and industrial
Drug Discovery World Winter 2009/10 29
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