"Lead optimization and drug develop ability key to success"

"Lead optimization and drug develop ability are the key to successful progression in drug development and to develop a molecule into a useful medical molecule," said Dr Vinod Shah, senior research scientist, US Food and Drug Administration.

He was speaking at the third American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) program in India on 'Drug discovery and development: challenges and opportunities for India'. Dr Shah noted that drug discovery and development is a game that must be played with skill and best judgment, otherwise drugs will fail to gain the market access. He said that if issues such as safety issues, toxicity, poor pharmaceutical properties, undesirable PK, lack of efficacy and marketing decision is taken care of, then there was no reason for the failure of the drug.