Phenotypic screening as a strategic component of drug discovery programs targeting novel antiparasitic and antimycobacterial agents: an editorial.
Drug development for neglected tropical diseases, defined as a collection of infectious diseases affecting over 4 billion people worldwide (especially endemic to poverty-stricken populations in underdeveloped regions of Africa, Asia, the Pacific Rim, and Latin America), has been underfunded and stagnant. A much needed resurgence of R&D activity in this area is currently developing. Target-directed screening and whole-cell phenotypic screening represent two complementary approaches to discover viable new starting point scaffolds for medicinal chemistry optimization. This editorial will provide introductory comments to a series of six miniperspectives that focus on the special challenges faced by scientists in discovering potential new chemical leads that could be optimized into promising clinical candidates for neglected tropical diseases.
Hager Biosciences, LLC , 116 Research Drive, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
John A
JA
Butera
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014330:Tropical Medicine / Q000379:methods; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents