title: A series of case studies: practical methodology for identifying antinociceptive multi-target drugs.
abstract: Since the introduction of drug discovery based on single targets, the number of newly developed drugs has steadily declined, and the reliablility of the current drug-discovery paradigm has been unceasingly questioned. As an alternative, an emerging approach pursuing multi-targeting drugs has arisen to reflect multifactorial diseases caused by the complex networks of various mechanisms. The purpose of this paper is to review multi-target drugs and introduce our progress in establishing a practical methodology for identifying antinociceptive multi-target drugs. We have adopted a system of ex vivo efficacy screening using long-term potentiation in rat spinal cord as a surrogate biomarker for neuropathic pain. A bait-target approach is also adopted to lure an unknown target combination that induces synergistic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Institute, Vivozon, Inc., Seoul, 136-703, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Yuntae
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Woon
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sunyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Doo H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics