BRAINCAKEDrug Development
Developing a new drug, such as an antiviral, takes 10 to 15 years and follows a strict series of stages designed to show that the drug is safe and effective.
1. Discovery. Scientists identify a target, often a viral enzyme such as a protease. Candidate molecules are found by screening large libraries of chemicals or by rational drug design, using computer models of the target's 3D structure to design a molecule that fits its active site.
2. Preclinical testing. The drug is tested on cells and tissues in the laboratory, and then usually on animals, to check how it works, whether it is toxic and what dose might be safe.
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Key terms in this lesson
- placebo effect
- An improvement in a patient's condition caused by their belief that they are receiving treatment, rather than by the treatment itself.
More in Prokaryotic Cells
- Viruses and Disease
- The Spread of Viral Diseases
- Treating Viral Diseases
- Preventing Viral Diseases
- Vaccination
- Disease Control
- Pandemics
- Ethics
All 31 lessons in Prokaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics