Pharma, Pharmaceutics and Biotechnology Conference

In fact, medicinal chemistry is that dynamic branch of studies that lies on the crossroads between chemistry and pharmacology, and biology which finds core existence in designing, synthesizing, and evaluating pharmaceutical compounds. In this session, we will be discussing the fundamental principles of medicinal chemistry that have played a very critical role in the entirety of drug discovery and development.

Drug design, as such, lies at the core of medicinal chemistry: the systematic process of designing new chemical entities (NCEs) that have a potential impact in and on disease. It begins with identification of biological targets-an enzyme or receptor involved in a disease pathway-and defining their structure and function, which helps medicinal chemists in designing molecules that interact specifically with the chosen targets. Such design must fully maximize therapeutic effect while minimizing side effects.

The critical aspect of medicinal chemistry invokes something known as the structure-activity relationship, or SAR. It is basically a study of how the chemical structure of a compound gives rise to biological activity. This is accomplished by changing the molecular structure of lead compounds in an absolutely systematic manner and then determining how the alterations affect potency, selectivity, and pharmacokinetics. This design-synthesize-test process, repeated over and over, is absolutely crucial for shaving the fat off applicants and making them drug candidates. In most cases, the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds involves a wide array of advanced chemical techniques ranging from organic synthesis to combinatorial chemistry.

The medicinal chemist uses a variety of strategies that can be employed in order to optimize yield, purity, and scalability so that promising compounds can be obtained in sufficient quantity for further evaluation. Apart from traditional small-molecule drugs, medicinal chemistry has increasingly been focused on biologics - peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids.

The understanding of all the unique properties and challenges related to biologics demands insight coming from chemical biology and biochemistry. Indeed, chemical biology has provided medicinal chemistry with the tools and techniques that enable detailed study of biomolecule interactions and even mechanisms of action. Techniques such as high-throughput screening, molecular modeling, and structural biology provide such detail in studying drug-target interactions for better and more selective therapeutics.

The field continues to evolve, with advances in technology and improving knowledge of the human body. Where growth is felt is particularly with personalized medicine, and targeted therapies, underscoring the need for novel drug design approaches that encapsulate an individual patient profile and a better understanding of disease mechanisms.

The session will engage the participants in understanding principles and perspectives of medicinal chemistry, drug design, and integration of chemical biology in drug discovery and future developments of medicinal chemistry in therapeutic solution development.

Current challenges, opportunities, and future directions of medicinal chemistry will be discussed. Thereby, medicinal chemistry will find its value in recognition by healthcare professionals as a source for the development of new treatments and improved outcomes for patients.