The scientists combined computer-based screening and cell-based assays to create a method that can significantly accelerate drug discovery and thereby lower development costs. It is highly likely that the new compounds identified using this method have not yet been patented.
The research team conducted a computer-assisted screening of 65,000 compounds and cell-based assays on the 150 highest scoring hit compounds, before identifying the Cent-1 molecule. The Cent-1 molecule kills cancer cells through a mechanism similar to that of the template drug Rigosertib that is currently under commercial development. However, since the chemical structure of the Cent-1 compound differs from Rigosertib, there are no major obstacles to further development.
What makes the study also significant is evidence that Rigosertib did not inhibit its reported target genes; there is reason to believe that the drug has a different mechanism of action at molecular level than anticipated. This drug discovery related study was published in the Molecular Cancer Therapeutics in April 2014.
Development of new drugs is an expensive and time-consuming process. It usually takes around 10–15 years to complete and costs several hundreds of millions of euros. In addition, risks associated with the usability, therapeutic efficacy and market share of medicinal substances are usually realised only in the final stages of drug development.
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