New approaches to R&D may prove best path for drug developers, according to Tufts CSDD

Innovative approaches to drug development, including alliances and partnerships, may prove the best way to increase the rate at which the research-based drug industry brings new products to market, according to a panel of pharmaceutical and biotech industry leaders recently convened by the USA's Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development.

Because patents on dozens of drugs are due to expire within the next few years-paving the way for generics to compete with those products-drug developers are in a race to develop and win market approval for new medicines.

"No one has yet figured out how to reliably identify early on which newly-discovered compound will bear fruit," said Tufts CSDD Director Kenneth Kaitin, adding: "This is spurring companies across the industry to experiment with a growing range of new tools and approaches to weed out unpromising drug candidates earlier, speed development, and reduce development costs."