Drug Targets Understanding Disease at the Level of Individual Molecules
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Transcript of Drug Targets Understanding Disease at the Level of Individual Molecules
Drug TargetsDrug Targets
Understanding DiseaseUnderstanding Diseaseat the Level ofat the Level of
Individual MoleculesIndividual Molecules
Claude BenchimolSVP, R&D
UCSD WorkshopDecember 9, 2005
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Beyond the Genome
pcDNA-tubB-CFPpcDNA-nTC-actB pcDNA-FK36-rac1
To come to life it must be translated into action, like a screenplay must be turned into acting
A two-dimensional and static description of a living creature
The key actors are proteins
An organism's genome
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Molecular Interactions: Pathway Elucidation
• Life, in health and disease, is the result of proteins interacting with many other proteins … Pathways
• Malfunctions in these protein interaction pathways give rise to disease.
• Our new challenge is to map and understand these hugely complex pathways
• This will lead to the discovery of new targets and better and safer drugs
Much More to Explore!Much More to Explore!
Yeast Proteome
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To Win the War Against Disease ….
Pharma and BiotechPharma and BiotechTools And TechnologyTools And Technology
ProvidersProviders
… … Teamwork and Alliances are EssentialTeamwork and Alliances are Essential
Academic & Medical Academic & Medical InstitutionsInstitutions
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An Example of a Success
BasicResearch
ToolsApplication
PharmaResearch
Inhibition of Kinase Enzyme Activity
BCR-ABL is a tyrosine kinase
enzyme
Identify the gene Understand what it “codes for” Inhibit the activity