New technologies and modern approaches to drug discovery

A variety of advances in molecular biology, genetics, chemistry and robotics have broadened the base for drug discovery and accelerated the pare at which lead compounds are recovered. Molecular biological dissection of human dis cases and application of new human genetic tools to identify loci responsible lor predispositions to various diseases have provided novel targets for potential therapeutic intervention. Advances in antisense technology and development of massively parallel DNA arrays allow rapid validation of potential targets. Combinatorial chemistry, novel assay formats and advances in robotics have expanded the variety of lead compounds that can be recovered against a par licular target and dramatically shortened the time required to find them. The use of combinatorial chemistry and the application of DNA array 'echnologv to toxicology and pharmacology have also facilitated subsequent optimization of leads. These technologies will be discussed, as well as the prospects for fur t her innovations, primarily in the area of miniaturization of the drug discovery process.