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Case histories, magic bullets and the state of drug discovery

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery volume 5, pages 635–640 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

The case histories of five modern drugs are taken as a basis for reflection on the state of drug discovery. Two issues intimately associated with drug research are highlighted: the nature of the intellectual process leading to new discoveries; and the possibility that the principle of selective efficacy, which has guided drug research from its beginnings, might need modification, at least in some areas of pharmacotherapy.

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Figure 1: Cyclooxygenases and prostanoid synthesis.
Figure 2: Multiple sclerosis and the role of α4β1 integrin.
Figure 3: Chemical structure of imatinib.
Figure 4: VEGF signalling and cancer: a simplified view.
Figure 5: Viral entry in the HIV life cycle.

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  1. Firnhaberstrasse 14, Feldafing, D-82340, Germany

    Jürgen Drews

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Drews, J. Case histories, magic bullets and the state of drug discovery. Nat Rev Drug Discov 5, 635–640 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd2084

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