scholarly journals Biomarkers and Surrogate Endpoints: How and When might They Impact Drug Development?

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chetan D. Lathia

As the pharmaceutical industry starts developing novel molecules developed based on molecular biology principles and a better understanding of the human genome, it becomes increasingly important to develop early indicators of activity and/or toxicity. Biomarkers are measurements based on molecular pharmacology and/or pathophysiology of the disease being evaluated that may assist with decision-making in various phases of drug development. The utility of biomarkers in the development of drugs is described in this review. Additionally, the utility of pharmacokinetic data in drug development is described. Development of biomarkers may help reduce the cost of drug development by allowing key decisions earlier in the drug development process. Additionally, biomarkers may be used to select patients who have a high likelihood of benefit or they could be used by clinicians to evaluate the potential for efficacy after start of treatment.

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 1063-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylwia Bujkiewicz ◽  
John R. Thompson ◽  
Richard D. Riley ◽  
Keith R. Abrams

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lucia Fallacara ◽  
Iuni Margaret Laura Tris ◽  
Amalia Belfiore ◽  
Maurizio Botta

The Drug development process has undergone a great change over the years. The way, from haphazard discovery of new natural products with a potent biological activity to a rational design of small molecule effective against a selected target, has been long and sprinkled with difficulties. The oldest drug development models are widely perceived as opaque and inefficient, with the cost of research and development continuing to rise even if the production of new drugs remains constant. The present paper, will give an overview of the principles, approaches, processes, and status of drug discovery today with an eye towards the past and the future.


2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 613-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike K Smith ◽  
Andrea Marshall

Clinical trial simulation studies can be used to assess the impact of many aspects of trial design, conduct, analysis and decision making on trial performance metrics. Simulation studies can play a vital role in improving the efficiency of the drug development process within the pharmaceutical industry, but only if they are well designed and conducted. It is imperative therefore that a protocol or simulation plan is developed, documenting how the simulation study is to be conducted, analysed and reported. This article emphasises the specific considerations necessary for designing good quality simulation studies. These include defining data generation processes, data analytic methods, decision criteria and also determining the presentation of results for all intended audiences. With clinical trial simulations becoming a vital part of the drug development process, the protocol for clinical trial simulations may in future become part of the regulatory peer review process. More rigour in the planning and execution of simulation studies will ensure that the design, analysis and decision-making process for the subsequent clinical trial is based on credible evidence that can be independently verified.


Author(s):  
Michael Tansey

Clinical research is heavily regulated and involves coordination of numerous pharmaceutical-related disciplines. Each individual trial involves contractual, regulatory, and ethics approval at each site and in each country. Clinical trials have become so complex and government requirements so stringent that researchers often approach trials too cautiously, convinced that the process is bound to be insurmountably complicated and riddled with roadblocks. A step back is needed, an objective examination of the drug development process as a whole, and recommendations made for streamlining the process at all stages. With Intelligent Drug Development, Michael Tansey systematically addresses the key elements that affect the quality, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness of the drug-development process, and identifies steps that can be adjusted and made more efficient. Tansey uses his own experiences conducting clinical trials to create a guide that provides flexible, adaptable ways of implementing the necessary processes of development. Moreover, the processes described in the book are not dependent either on a particular company structure or on any specific technology; thus, Tansey's approach can be implemented at any company, regardless of size. The book includes specific examples that illustrate some of the ways in which the principles can be applied, as well as suggestions for providing a better context in which the changes can be implemented. The protocols for drug development and clinical research have grown increasingly complex in recent years, making Intelligent Drug Development a needed examination of the pharmaceutical process.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Lacombe ◽  
Lifang Liu ◽  
Françoise Meunier ◽  
Vassilis Golfinopoulos

There is room for improvement for optimally bringing the latest science to the patient while taking into account patient priorities such as quality of life. Too often, regulatory agencies, governments, and funding agencies do not stimulate the integration of research into care and vice versa. Re-engineering the drug development process is a priority, and healthcare systems are long due for transformation. On one hand, patients need efficient access to treatments, but despite precision oncology approaches, efficiently shared screening platforms for sorting patients based on the biology of their tumour for trial access are lacking and, on the other hand, the true value of cancer care is poorly addressed as central questions such as dose, scheduling, duration, and combination are not or sub-optimally addressed by registration trials. Solid evidence on those parameters could potentially lead to a rational and wiser use of anti-cancer treatments. Together, optimally targeting patient population and robust comparative effectiveness data could lead to more affordable and economically sound approaches. The drug development process and healthcare models need to be interconnected through redesigned systems taking into account the full math from drug development into affordable care.


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