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Related Concept Videos

Drug Discovery: Overview01:26

Drug Discovery: Overview

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Drug discovery is a multifaceted process involving extensive screening, testing, and optimization of lead compounds to identify potential new drugs for therapeutic use. It combines several approaches, including screening large numbers of natural products, chemical modification of known active molecules, identification of new drug targets, and rational design based on biological mechanisms and drug-receptor structure. These approaches are carried out in both academic research laboratories and...
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Pharmaceutical substances known as xenobiotics are predominantly lipophilic and nonionized. This enables them to permeate lipid bilayers, such as cell membranes, and interact with intracellular target receptors. Lipophilic drugs have an advantage in crossing biological barriers and reaching their intended sites of action. However, lipophilic drugs often have a restricted capacity for renal expulsion or elimination from the body. When these drugs enter the kidneys and undergo glomerular...
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Biotransformation, also known as drug metabolism, is a vital physiological process that chemically alters drugs, facilitating their elimination from the body and terminating their action. This process involves two main phases: phase I and phase II reactions. Phase I reactions, including oxidation, reduction, and hydrolysis, introduce or unmask polar functional groups on the drug molecule, thereby increasing its water solubility. By enhancing water solubility, the drug becomes more hydrophilic...
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Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

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Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
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Microorganisms rely on proteins as an essential carbon and energy source, particularly in environments with limited polysaccharides or lipids. However, proteins are too large to cross the plasma membrane unaided, necessitating enzymatic degradation. Microbes secrete extracellular proteases and peptidases that hydrolyze proteins into peptides, which can then be transported across the membrane. Once inside the cell, intracellular proteases degrade these peptides into free amino acids, which...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 26, 2025

Immobilization of Multi-biocatalysts in Alginate Beads for Cofactor Regeneration and Improved Reusability
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Immobilization of Multi-biocatalysts in Alginate Beads for Cofactor Regeneration and Improved Reusability

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Biocatalysis in drug discovery and development.

Anna Fryszkowska1, Paul N Devine1

  • 1Process Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
|March 15, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Enzyme catalysis is revolutionizing pharmaceutical synthesis through protein engineering. Biocatalysis enables novel drug discovery and sustainable manufacturing, offering faster, greener therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Background:

  • Advances in protein engineering and directed evolution are driving innovation in enzyme catalysis.
  • Enzyme catalysis is increasingly adopted for chemical synthesis within the pharmaceutical industry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent applications of biocatalysis in drug discovery and development.
  • To highlight how biocatalysis facilitates novel synthetic routes for new medicines.
  • To discuss the potential for more sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent literature and case studies on enzyme catalysis in pharmaceuticals.
  • Illustration of novel biotransformations and cascade biocatalysis.
  • Analysis of opportunities and challenges for implementing biotechnological innovations.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 26, 2025

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Main Results:

  • Biocatalysis enables fundamentally new syntheses of novel medicines.
  • Increased access to biotransformations and cascade biocatalysis are key drivers.
  • Progress toward more sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing is evident.

Conclusions:

  • Biocatalysis offers a pathway to faster, more economical, and environmentally benign drug development.
  • Addressing industry challenges is crucial for realizing the full potential of biotechnological innovations.
  • Enzyme catalysis is poised to significantly transform pharmaceutical synthesis and manufacturing.