Is the pharmaceutical industry's preoccupation with the monotherapy drug model stifling the development of effective new drug therapies?

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
File version

Accepted Manuscript (AM)

Author(s)
Cock, Ian Edwin
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
2018
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract

Drug discovery and development is heavily biased towards the development of monotherapies. Screening, testing, and evaluation of mono-entity drugs are generally much simpler than drug combinations, and are generally easier to get approval from the regulatory authorities for their clinical use. However, monotherapy drugs may not have optimal activity, may have associated toxicities, or may lose activity over time as their target develops resistance. Drug combinations, often developed from existing monotherapies, may have improved efficacy and/or be less toxic. Furthermore, the existing drugs which have lost efficacy due to the development of resistance can often be re-activated by combining them with other chemical entities. Thus, whilst the current climate for drug approval, registration, and clinical use drives the majority of drug development research towards the development of monotherapies, combinations are often a substantial improvement on the original drug. This commentary examines monotherapy and combinational therapy models and discusses the benefits and limitations of each model.

Journal Title

Inflammopharmacology

Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume

26

Issue

3

Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement

© 2018 Springer Basel. This is an electronic version of an article published in Inflammopharmacology, 2018, Volume 26, Issue 3, pp 861–879. Inflammopharmacology is available online at: http://link.springer.com/ with the open URL of your article.

Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject

Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences

Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences not elsewhere classified

Persistent link to this record
Citation
Collections