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Commonly used chiral drugs: a survey
J S Millership1, A Fitzpatrick
1School of Pharmacy, Queen's University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Northern Ireland.
Chirality
|January 1, 1993
Summary
The use of single isomer chiral drugs increased slightly between 1982 and 1991. More synthetic single isomer drugs became available during this period, indicating a shift in pharmaceutical development.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Drug Development
Background:
- Chiral drugs, molecules existing in non-superimposable mirror-image forms (enantiomers), have distinct pharmacological activities.
- Historically, racemic mixtures (equal parts of both enantiomers) were common, but single enantiomer drugs offer improved efficacy and safety profiles.
- A comparative survey was conducted to assess trends in chiral drug usage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the usage patterns of chiral drugs in 1982 versus 1991.
- To quantify the increase in single isomer chiral drug utilization.
- To evaluate the availability of synthetic single isomer chiral drugs over time.
Main Methods:
- A comparative survey design was employed.
- Data on commonly used chiral drugs from 1982 and 1991 were collected and analyzed.
- Proportions of single isomer drugs and synthetic single isomer drugs were calculated for both years.
Main Results:
- The utilization of single isomer chiral drugs rose from 31.1% in 1982 to 34.3% in 1991.
- The proportion of available synthetic single isomer chiral drugs was significantly higher in 1991 compared to 1982.
- This indicates a growing trend towards enantiomerically pure pharmaceuticals.
Conclusions:
- There was a modest but notable increase in the use of single isomer chiral drugs.
- The pharmaceutical industry demonstrated a greater capacity for producing synthetic single isomer drugs by 1991.
- These findings highlight an evolving landscape in chiral drug development and application.