Książki

This treatise had its origins in the authors' strong opinion that the discovery of new drugs, especially of innovative therapeutic agents, really does not happen as a spontaneous sequel to investiga tive research, no matter how penetrating such research may be. Rather, it seemed to us that the discovery of innovative therapeutic agents was a very active process, existing in and of itself, and demanding full attention-it was not simply a passive, dependent by-process of investigative research. And yet, many researchers some close confreres of the authors, others more distant-believed otherwise. We felt that their view reflected unrealistic thinking and that reality probably lay closer to what Beyer" maintained: We are taught to believe that if we can understand a disease it should be easy enough to figure out, say, the molecular configuration of a definitive receptor mechanism somewhere along the line and to design a specific drug . . . . And so we start out to understand the disease but never get around to doing much about therapy. The authors very soon realized that there was essentially no quantitive information available on just where and how innovative therapeutic agents were discovered. There were only anecdotal accounts, and these were able to be selected and presented in ways that could be used to defend any point of view.

Drug Discovery: A Casebook and Analysis

Introduction: A Discussion of the Quantitative Approach. Definitions for the Tables. Cardiovascular and Renal Group (Including Renal Transplantation): Propranolol. Captopril. Calcium Antagonists: Verapamil, Nifedipine, Diltiazem. Chlorothiazide. Furosemide. Azathioprine. Cyclosporine. Psychiatry Group: Chlorpromazine. Haloperidol. Imipramine. Iproniazid. Lithium. Chlordiazepoxide and Diazepam. Neurology Group: l-Dopa. Carbamazepine. Rheumatology Group: Indomethacin. d-Penicillamine. Hydroxychloroquine. Methotrexate. Cyclophosphamide. Anesthesiology Group: Succinylcholine. Halothane. Fentanyl. Naloxone. Pulmonary Group: Albuterol. Beclomethasone Dipropionate. Gastrointestinal Group: Cimetidine. Chenodeoxycholic Acid and Ursodeoxycholic Acid. Summaries of the Analyses: The Initiation of the 30 Lines of Research. The Total Number of Entries for the 30 Lines of Research. The 32 Innovative Drugs. The Innovative Drugs Taken as Groups. Interpretation: Actions and Interactions of the Various Research Institutions. Routes to Discovery. Attitudes. Appendix: Analyses of Tables: Analysis of 30 Lines of Research. Analysis of 32 Innovative Drugs. Analysis of the Innovative Drugs Taken as Groups. Index.