Elsevier

Drug Discovery Today

Volume 17, Issues 19–20, October 2012, Pages 1088-1102
Drug Discovery Today

Review
Keynote
Drug discovery in pharmaceutical industry: productivity challenges and trends

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2012.05.007Get rights and content

Low productivity, rising R&D costs, dissipating proprietary products and dwindling pipelines are driving the pharmaceutical industry to unprecedented challenges and scrutiny. In this article I reflect on the current status of the pharmaceutical industry and reasons for continued low productivity. An emerging ‘symbiotic model of innovation’, that addresses underlying issues in drug failure and attempts to narrow gaps in current drug discovery processes, is discussed to boost productivity. The model emphasizes partnerships in innovation to deliver quality products in a cost-effective system. I also discuss diverse options to build a balanced research portfolio with higher potential for persistent delivery of drug molecules.

Highlights

► Low pharma productivity is not sustainable. ► Inadequate efficacy, lack of competitive differentiation and non-optimal safety key failure reasons. ► ‘Symbiotic model of Innovation’ helps bridge innovation and skill gaps. ► Portfolio balance important to mitigate risk and improve sustainability.

Section snippets

Pharma industry: an introduction

Innovation has always been the backbone and underlying strength of the pharmaceutical industry. During decades the industry has delivered multiple life-saving medicines contributing to new treatment options for several medical needs. Many diseases, particularly acute disorders, are now treatable or can be managed effectively. The discovery of new medications for cardiovascular, metabolic, arthritis, pain, depression, anxiety, oncology, gastrointestinal disorders, women health, infectious

Industry challenges

Despite large investments, the pharmaceutical industry has faced marked decline in productivity. The size of the company or R&D budget does not guarantee proportionate success. During decades, there have been several players (4300) in pharma sector but only a small subset (261) seem to have tasted success with at least one NME approved [1]. Currently, only 12% of these companies are in existence while the remaining 88% have disappeared from the scene or merged with other organizations. The

Low productivity analysis

The low productivity and rising R&D costs is forcing companies to evaluate reasons and modify course. The segment below dissects different factors contributing to low productivity.

Improving productivity and probability of success

The pharmaceutical companies are going through realignment to improve efficiency and increase output. The low R&D productivity is not sustainable and several models are being adopted and debated to improve output in a cost-effective way [16]. The data in Fig. 2 indicates that ≥70% failures in Phase II are related to technical deficiencies whereas approximately 29% may be related to non-technical (strategic, commercial, among others) attributes. The discussion below summarizes avenues to enhance

Concluding remarks

High failures, high cost, fading pipelines have pushed the pharmaceutical industry into one of its least productive times in history. The industry, however, continues to be enthused by huge opportunities that challenges present. The sector is on threshold of change and is likely to present a different complexion during the next ten years. The players that adopt and respond to challenges will flourish. Emerging models with strong partnerships themes relying on combined wisdom, accessibility to

Ish Khanna has over 28 years of pharmaceutical industry experience with success in advancing drug molecules from concept to clinic and market. He has held Technical Leadership and Senior Management positions in global pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Pharmacia, Searle, Dr. Reddy's Labs, Kareus Therapeutics) and has experience in building risk balanced discovery portfolio. Dr. Khanna's areas of expertise cover medicinal chemistry, understanding pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of

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    Ish Khanna has over 28 years of pharmaceutical industry experience with success in advancing drug molecules from concept to clinic and market. He has held Technical Leadership and Senior Management positions in global pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Pharmacia, Searle, Dr. Reddy's Labs, Kareus Therapeutics) and has experience in building risk balanced discovery portfolio. Dr. Khanna's areas of expertise cover medicinal chemistry, understanding pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of drug molecules and lead optimization strategies. He has keen interest and knowledge of emerging trends in pharmaceutical industry. He is co-inventor and co-author of over 100 patents and publications.

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