3 Advances in Drug Development for Therapy Solutions

From testing new treatments for Alzheimer’s to fast-tracking clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines, drug development is integral to the pharmaceutical sector. Below, we explore some of the latest advances in drug development spearheaded by world-class universities.

Defining drug development

Drug development describes the process of launching a new pharmaceutical drug after a “lead compound” has been isolated during the drug discovery stage. In some cases, the drug may be selected for Breakthrough Therapy, a process designed to accelerate the development process and fast-track commercial availability.

Universities and drug development

From Scotland to the United States, universities play a critical role in advancing drug development.

• The Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation (CeTPD) at the University of Dundee

In 2022 the University of Dundee will launch a state-of-the-art translational research centre, crystallising its status as a global leader in chemical biology. The new state-of-the-art facilities will allow researchers to explore the full potential of targeted protein degradation, which is already being used to develop advanced therapeutics for a range of diseases.

• Parkinson’s progress at the University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is another drug development frontrunner, recently securing a £1.2 million grant from Parkinson’s UK. The grant will be used to fund the development of a new cell defending drug that could prevent the degenerative disease.

• hES licensing at the University of Copenhagen

In Denmark, the University of Copenhagen has teamed up with Takara Bio Europe AB (TBEAB) and reached a licensing agreement for its clinical-grade human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines. The lines were developed by PanCryos, a spin-out from the university’s Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem).

Drug development and the role of CROs

Hired by medical companies to manage clinical trials and testing stages, Contract Research Organisations (CROs) have an important role in drug development. US-based company IQVIA is one of the biggest CRO giants, with competitors including Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD), ICON and Parexel.

Equipped with advanced facilities and large cashflows, CROs help to accelerate the drug development process and speed up clinical trials. The infrastructure offered by CROs allows companies to overcome the major challenges associated with drug development, including cost, target identification issues, ethical barriers and tough regulatory processes.

Want to know more about the latest drug discovery and development breakthroughs? The new agreement forged between global immunology company argenx, FairJourney Biologics S.A and IONTAS Limited is explored further in ‘Collaboration to Investigate Potential Antibody Candidates.