Theory of Drug Development


Book Description

Theory of Drug Development presents a formal quantitative framework for understanding drug development that goes beyond simply describing the properties of the statistics in individual studies. It examines the drug development process from the perspectives of drug companies and regulatory agencies. By quantifying various ideas underlying drug development, the book shows how to systematically address problems, such as: Sizing a phase 2 trial and choosing the range of p-values that will trigger a follow-up phase 3 trial Deciding whether a drug should receive marketing approval based on its phase 2/3 development program and recent experience with other drugs in the same clinical area Determining the impact of adaptive designs on the quality of drugs that receive marketing approval Designing a phase 3 pivotal study that permits the data-driven adjustment of the treatment effect estimate Knowing when enough information has been gathered to show that a drug improves the survival time for the whole patient population Drawing on his extensive work as a statistician in the pharmaceutical industry, the author focuses on the efficient development of drugs and the quantification of evidence in drug development. He provides a rationale for underpowered phase 2 trials based on the notion of efficiency, which leads to the identification of an admissible family of phase 2 designs. He also develops a framework for evaluating the strength of evidence generated by clinical trials. This approach is based on the ratio of power to type 1 error and transcends typical Bayesian and frequentist statistical analyses.




Improving and Accelerating Therapeutic Development for Nervous System Disorders


Book Description

Improving and Accelerating Therapeutic Development for Nervous System Disorders is the summary of a workshop convened by the IOM Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders to examine opportunities to accelerate early phases of drug development for nervous system drug discovery. Workshop participants discussed challenges in neuroscience research for enabling faster entry of potential treatments into first-in-human trials, explored how new and emerging tools and technologies may improve the efficiency of research, and considered mechanisms to facilitate a more effective and efficient development pipeline. There are several challenges to the current drug development pipeline for nervous system disorders. The fundamental etiology and pathophysiology of many nervous system disorders are unknown and the brain is inaccessible to study, making it difficult to develop accurate models. Patient heterogeneity is high, disease pathology can occur years to decades before becoming clinically apparent, and diagnostic and treatment biomarkers are lacking. In addition, the lack of validated targets, limitations related to the predictive validity of animal models - the extent to which the model predicts clinical efficacy - and regulatory barriers can also impede translation and drug development for nervous system disorders. Improving and Accelerating Therapeutic Development for Nervous System Disorders identifies avenues for moving directly from cellular models to human trials, minimizing the need for animal models to test efficacy, and discusses the potential benefits and risks of such an approach. This report is a timely discussion of opportunities to improve early drug development with a focus toward preclinical trials.




Introduction to Biological and Small Molecule Drug Research and Development


Book Description

Introduction to Biological and Small Molecule Drug Research and Development provides, for the first time, an introduction to the science behind successful pharmaceutical research and development programs. The book explains basic principles, then compares and contrasts approaches to both biopharmaceuticals (proteins) and small molecule drugs, presenting an overview of the business and management issues of these approaches. The latter part of the book provides carefully selected real-life case studies illustrating how the theory presented in the first part of the book is actually put into practice. Studies include Herceptin/T-DM1, erythropoietin (Epogen/Eprex/NeoRecormon), anti-HIV protease inhibitor Darunavir, and more. Introduction to Biological and Small Molecule Drug Research and Development is intended for late-stage undergraduates or postgraduates studying chemistry (at the biology interface), biochemistry, medicine, pharmacy, medicine, or allied subjects. The book is also useful in a wide variety of science degree courses, in post-graduate taught material (Masters and PhD), and as basic background reading for scientists in the pharmaceutical industry. - For the first time, the fundamental scientific principles of biopharmaceuticals and small molecule chemotherapeutics are discussed side-by-side at a basic level - Edited by three senior scientists with over 100 years of experience in drug research who have compiled the best scientific comparison of small molecule and biopharmaceuticals approaches to new drugs - Illustrated with key examples of important drugs that exemplify the basic principles of pharmaceutical drug research and development




The Role of NIH in Drug Development Innovation and Its Impact on Patient Access


Book Description

To explore the role of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in innovative drug development and its impact on patient access, the Board on Health Care Services and the Board on Health Sciences Policy of the National Academies jointly hosted a public workshop on July 24â€"25, 2019, in Washington, DC. Workshop speakers and participants discussed the ways in which federal investments in biomedical research are translated into innovative therapies and considered approaches to ensure that the public has affordable access to the resulting new drugs. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.




Developing Solid Oral Dosage Forms


Book Description

Developing Solid Oral Dosage Forms is intended for pharmaceutical professionals engaged in research and development of oral dosage forms. It covers essential principles of physical pharmacy, biopharmaceutics and industrial pharmacy as well as various aspects of state-of-the-art techniques and approaches in pharmaceutical sciences and technologies along with examples and/or case studies in product development. The objective of this book is to offer updated (or current) knowledge and skills required for rational oral product design and development. The specific goals are to provide readers with: - Basics of modern theories of physical pharmacy, biopharmaceutics and industrial pharmacy and their applications throughout the entire process of research and development of oral dosage forms - Tools and approaches of preformulation investigation, formulation/process design, characterization and scale-up in pharmaceutical sciences and technologies - New developments, challenges, trends, opportunities, intellectual property issues and regulations in solid product development - The first book (ever) that provides comprehensive and in-depth coverage of what's required for developing high quality pharmaceutical products to meet international standards - It covers a broad scope of topics that encompass the entire spectrum of solid dosage form development for the global market, including the most updated science and technologies, practice, applications, regulation, intellectual property protection and new development trends with case studies in every chapter - A strong team of more than 50 well-established authors/co-authors of diverse background, knowledge, skills and experience from industry, academia and regulatory agencies




Drug Discovery and Development


Book Description

This book describes the processes that are involved in the development of new drugs. The authors discuss the history, role of natural products and concept of receptor interactions with regard to the initial stages of drug discovery. In a single, highly readable volume, it outlines the basics of pharmacological screening, drug target identification, and genetics involved in early drug discovery. The final chapters introduce readers to stem therapeutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacovigilance, and toxicological testing. Given its scope, the book will enable research scholars, professionals and young scientists to understand the key fundamentals of drug discovery, including stereochemistry, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials, statistics and toxicology.




Modern Methods of Clinical Investigation


Book Description

The very rapid pace of advances in biomedical research promises us a wide range of new drugs, medical devices, and clinical procedures. The extent to which these discoveries will benefit the public, however, depends in large part on the methods we choose for developing and testing them. Modern Methods of Clinical Investigation focuses on strategies for clinical evaluation and their role in uncovering the actual benefits and risks of medical innovation. Essays explore differences in our current systems for evaluating drugs, medical devices, and clinical procedures; health insurance databases as a tool for assessing treatment outcomes; the role of the medical profession, the Food and Drug Administration, and industry in stimulating the use of evaluative methods; and more. This book will be of special interest to policymakers, regulators, executives in the medical industry, clinical researchers, and physicians.




In Silico Drug Discovery and Design


Book Description

In Silico Drug Discovery and Design: Theory, Methods, Challenges, and Applications provides a comprehensive, unified, and in-depth overview of the current methodological strategies in computer-aided drug discovery and design. Its main aims are to introduce the theoretical framework and algorithms, discuss the range of validity, strengths and limitations of each methodology, and present applications to real world problems in the drug discovery arena. Special emphasis has been given to the emerging and most pressing methodological challenges in in silico drug discovery and design. The book assumes a basic knowledge of physical principles and molecular modeling. Particular attention has been paid to outline the underlying physico-chemical foundation of the methods described, thus providing the necessary background to avoid a -black-box- approach. In each self-contained chapter, this is presented together with the latest developments and applications, and the challenges that lie ahead. Assembling a unique team of experts to weigh in on the most important issues influencing modern computational drug discovery and design, this book constitutes both a desktop reference to academic and industrial researchers in the field, and a textbook for students in the area of molecular modeling and drug discovery. Comprised of 18 chapters and divided into three parts, this book: Provides a comprehensive, unified, and in-depth overview of the current methodological strategies in computer-aided drug discovery and design Outlines the underlying physico-chemical foundation of the methods described Presents several applications of computational methods to real world problems in the drug design field Helps to avoid a -black-box- approach to in silico drug discovery Constitutes an actual textbook for students in the area of molecular modeling and drug discovery Gives the reader the adequate background to face the current challenges of the field In Silico Drug Discovery and Design: Theory, Methods, Challenges, and Applications describes the theoretical framework, methods, practical applications and case examples relevant to computer-aided drug lead discovery and design. This text will surely aid in understanding the underlying physical foundation of computational tools and their range of application, thus facilitating the interpretation of simulation results.




Platform Trial Designs in Drug Development


Book Description

Platform trials test multiple therapies in one indication, one therapy for multiple indications, or both. These novel clinical trial designs can dramatically increase the cost-effectiveness of drug development, leading to life-altering medicines for people suffering from serious illnesses, possibly at lower cost. Currently, the cost of drug development is unsustainable. Furthermore, there are particular problems in rare diseases and small biomarker defined subsets in oncology, where the required sample sizes for traditional clinical trial designs may not be feasible. The editors recruited the key innovators in this domain. The 20 articles discuss trial designs from perspectives as diverse as quantum computing, patient’s rights to information, and international health. The book begins with an overview of platform trials from multiple perspectives. It then describes impacts of platform trials on the pharmaceutical industry’s key stakeholders: patients, regulators, and payers. Next it provides advanced statistical methods that address multiple aspects of platform trials, before concluding with a pharmaceutical executive’s perspective on platform trials. Except for the statistical methods section, only a basic qualitative knowledge of clinical trials is needed to appreciate the important concepts and novel ideas presented.




Drugs and Drug Policy


Book Description

Drugs and Drug Policy: The Control of Consciousness Alteration provides a cross-national perspective on the regulation of drug use by examining and critiquing drug policies in the United States and abroad in terms of their scope, goals, and effectiveness. In this engaging text, authors Clayton J. Mosher and Scott Akins discuss the physiological, psychological, and behavioral effects of legal and illicit drugs; the patterns and correlates of use; and theories of the "causes" of drug use. Key Features: * Offers more coverage of drug policy issues than competitive books: This book addresses the number of significant developments over the last few decades that suggest the dynamics of drug use and policies to deal with drug use are at a critical juncture. The book also considers the issue of "American exceptionalism" with respect to drug policies through a detailed analysis of emerging drug polices in other Western nations. * Makes explicit comparisons between legal and illegal drugs: Due to their prevalence of use, this book devotes considerable attention to the use and regulation of legal drugs in society. The book illustrates that commonly prescribed medications are similar to drugs that are among the most feared and harshly punished in society and that drug-related problems do not necessarily result from particular drugs, but from how drugs are used. * Includes many pedagogical tools: With chapter opening photos and more photos throughout, this text presents material in a student- friendly fashion. Highlight boxes provide interesting examples for readers; encourage further emphasis on issues; and serve as important topics for in class writing exercises. In addition, Internet exercises and review questions reinforce key points made in the chapter and prompt classroom discussion.