Race for a Remedy: The Science and Scientists Behind the Next Life-Saving Cancer Medicine

How does a mere molecule—a chemical structure—become a drug? And, how do we know that it works safely? In a one-trillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry with high-stakes profits and perils, battles are raging every day to successfully bring a molecule to its birth: an FDA-approved medicine. In Race for a Remedy, internationally renowned expert in cancer treatment and drug development Makhdum Ahmed, MD, takes readers behind the scenes of the fascinating and intense world of cancer drug development.

Whether it’s a small molecule, a versatile monoclonal antibody, or the fancy, poster child of cutting-edge cell therapy, modern drugs are built upon a centuries-old solid foundation set by the pioneers of medicine and immunology. This revealing book also explores the struggles for current-day pharmaceutical and biotech industries to overtake competitors and make sure their molecule reaches the finish line first. For leading cancer drug developers, that means achieving the ultimate goal: creating the next live-saving cancer medicine.

Readers will also find answers to common questions on drugs, such as:

• How long does it usually take for a drug to come to market?
• When can we expect a cure for cancers like leukemia and lymphoma?
• Are experimental medicines unsafe?
• Given my illness (or that of my loved one), should I join a clinical trial and what are the odds it will help?

A leading medical expert on the frontlines of drug creation, Dr. Ahmed offers basic pharmacological insights, revolutionary science, and the gripping arc of new drug development. Race for a Remedy will change the way readers think about medicine.

Makhdum Ahmed, MD, PhD is an award-winning physician-scientist and a drug development executive. He is an Executive Director in AstraZeneca’s research and development in blood cancers. A former Director for the Cancer Moonshots program at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, he was the recipient of the Australian Leadership Awards (2009) and Global Health Corps Fellowship (2011). Ahmed lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife, Zakia and three children: Mayameen, Myreen and Manseeb.