Designing Multi-Target Drugs

Multi-target drug discovery (MTDD) is an emerging area of increasing interest to the drug discovery community. Drugs that modulate several targets have the potential for an improved balance of efficacy and safety compared to single targets agents. Although there are a number of marketed drugs that are thought to derive their therapeutic benefit by virtue of interacting with multiple targets, the majority of these were discovered accidentally. Written by world renowned experts, this is the first book to gather together knowledge and experiences of the rational discovery of multi-target drugs. It describes the current state of the art, the achievements and the challenges of the field and importantly the lessons learned by researchers to date and their application to future MTDD.

Richard Morphy gained his BSc (1995) and PhD (1989; supervisor: Prof. David Parker) in Chemistry from University of Durham 1989-1995: Medicinal chemist at Celltech, Slough, UK working on oncology and inflammation projects 1995-to date: Section head / Senior Research Fellow at Organon/SPRI/MSD, Newhouse, Scotland working on CNS and CV projects. He has an extensive track record of research, publications and presentations in the area of multi-target drug discovery (MTDD). John Harris gained his BSc.(Chemistry, 1999) from University of Exeter; PhD (Chemistry, 1974) from Queen Mary College, University of London (Supervisor: Prof. B.C.L. Weedon FRS) Postdoc study 1973-1975 with Prof. C.W.Rees at University of Liverpool. 1975 - 1982 Medicinal Chemist at Wellcome Labs, Beckenham, working on cardiovascular projects. 1983-1988 Principal Scientist 1989 - 1995 Head of Cardiovascular Area, Wellcome UK. 1996 - 2008 Founder and CSO of BioFocus (now division of Galapagos); 2009 - to date, independent pharma/biotech consultant. Comprehensive track record of research, publications and presentations in the areas of enzyme inhibitors, prostaglandins, compound library design, kinase drug development in oncology, inflammation and CNS, and multi-targeted drug discovery.