title: Drug discovery in the extracellular matrix.
abstract: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an organised mesh of secreted proteins that provides structure, organisation and orientation to tissues and influences a spectrum of cell behaviours of direct relevance to disease and drug discovery. Many drugs currently in development target components of the ECM, yet most drug discovery teams perceive the ECM as a barrier to efficacious drug action, rather than a therapeutic target. Here we review current therapeutic approaches and consider potentially novel druggable opportunities to target the ECM, taking into account the factors that make it both unique and challenging, including its evolutionary history and innate multi-dimensional complexity.
authors.affiliation: Computational Biology, Molecular Discovery Research, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, New Frontiers Science Park (North), Third Avenue, Harlow, Essex CM19 5AW, UK. julie.x.huxley-jones@gsk.com
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huxley-Jones
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Foord
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055808:Drug Discovery; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations