Drug discovery: lessons from evolution.

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Science
• Evolutionary Biology
• Drug Development

Background:

• The pharmaceutical industry widely acknowledges challenges in drug discovery.
• Academics, regulators, and politicians share concerns about the current drug discovery process.
• Medicines have profoundly impacted human health, as evidenced by vaccines, anesthetics, and anti-infectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose that evolutionary principles can illuminate factors crucial for successful drug discovery.
• To analyze the drug development process through an evolutionary lens, drawing parallels with natural selection.
• To identify conditions that promote and hinder the discovery of novel therapeutics.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing drug development programs submitted for European regulatory approval over a decade.
• Applying an evolutionary analogy to the drug discovery and development pipeline.
• Analyzing the attrition rates of candidate molecules during drug development.

Main Results:

• The drug discovery process, characterized by high attrition of candidate molecules, mirrors natural selection.
• Evolutionary concepts, such as variation and selection, are applicable to understanding drug development success.
• A decade of regulatory review highlights the selective pressures inherent in bringing new medicines to market.

Conclusions:

• Lessons from evolution can guide strategies to improve drug discovery efficiency.
• Understanding the "forces" that favor drug discovery is essential for pharmaceutical innovation.
• Further consideration of evolutionary principles may optimize the conditions for discovering life-saving medicines.