title: Short- and long-term projections about the use of drug metabolism in drug discovery and development.
abstract: The science of drug metabolism, like any other science, has advanced from simple beginnings (by today's standards) to its present state. One can examine the path that has been taken to understand the forces driving the direction of evolution of this science. The trends discovered can then be used to make reasonable extrapolations about the changes that might be expected in the future. That exercise is the subject of this article. The main focus will be on drug metabolism as practiced in the industrial environment, representing the author's main experience as well as the principal arena of practical applications of the science. The discussion will draw mainly on broad phenomena occurring in this application of drug metabolism to drug discovery and development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Schering-Plough Research Institute, Kenilworth, NJ 07033-1300, USA. ronald.white@spcorp.com
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System