Medicinal Chemistry Approaches to Neglected Diseases Drug Discovery
Adriano Defini Andricopulo, Leonardo L. G. Ferreira · Journal of Modern Medicinal Chemistry · 2014
The prevalence of a variety of neglected diseases is an increasing serious public health problem in developing countries, particularly in the poorest and most remote areas with very little or no access to medical care. The consequences in terms of morbidity and mortality due to these infections are devastating and have a major social and economic impact in several relevant aspects. According to the World Health Organization, these diseases are one of the most important scientific and technological challenges that face humankind in the 21st century. Although they affect more than a billion people around the world, there are only a few safe and effective drugs currently available. The urgent need for new drugs has led pharmaceutical and academic R&D centers to employ more knowledge-based platforms, as an unprecedented opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of disadvantaged people through the discovery of novel therapeutic options. In this perspective we discuss the successful application of modern medicinal chemistry approaches to neglected diseases. Keywords: Neglected diseases, Drug design, Virtual screening, Molecular dynamics, QSAR, Molecular modeling, Pharmacophore, LBDD, SBDD, Inhibitor. Read more →