Molecular Medicine-Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

Drug discovery and development is a process that rationally leads to instigation of compound or formulation for the treatment of particular disease/diseased condition by acting on its specific target (s). Most of the drugs identified by conventional drug discovery process were as a result of unsystematic, random and serendipitous approach. Enhancement of knowledge in the field of biotechnology, molecular biology and medicinal chemistry improved the basic understanding of disease mechanism, mechanism of drug action resulting in a paradigm shift in drug discovery approach towards development of targeted drug discovery. Currently, molecular medicine encompassing elucidation of the genetic basis of disease, diagnosis of the disease and the design of an appropriate approach to disease management or therapy, promises to be an effective strategy for modern drug discovery. The change in approach resulted in improvement in target innovation, however doesn’t impact the rate of NMEs approved. The challenges limiting the drug discovery and prospects offered by molecular medicine and reverse pharmacology for its improvement were discussed in this review.