title: Drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases at the Sandler Center.
abstract: The Sandler Center's approach to target-based drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases is to focus on parasite targets that are homologous to human targets being actively investigated in the pharmaceutical industry. In this way we attempt to use both the know-how and actual chemical matter from other drug-development efforts to jump start the discovery process for neglected tropical diseases. Our approach is akin to drug repurposing, except that we seek to repurpose leads rather than drugs. Medicinal chemistry can then be applied to optimize the leads specifically for the desired antiparasitic indication.
authors.affiliation: Sandler Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, 600 16th Street, S-272, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. stephanie.robertson@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Adam R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Renslo
mesh_terms: D058888:14-alpha Demethylase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000047:Academies and Institutes; D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D058886:Sterol 14-Demethylase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D058888:14-alpha Demethylase Inhibitors; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D058886:Sterol 14-Demethylase; D011494:Protein Kinases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C074032:cruzain, Trypanosoma cruzi