‘Me-too’ or ‘follow-on’ drugs are the copycats of the drug discovery landscape. Taking inspiration from existing drugs and making small modifications to them, many new therapies have been developed in this manner. Despite their reputation for lacking novelty and innovation, the sheer success of me-too drugs, like the blockbuster drug Lipitor, makes them the backbone of many medicinal chemistry programs.
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If you didn’t already know, cats love catnip (also known as catmint)! The mere smell of the plant drives many felines into a state of euphoria, strangely eliciting the same sequence of playful behavior. The catnip response highlights a unique...
How nice would it be if we weren’t alone in the Universe? Many believe that somewhere in the vast cosmos, there exist intelligent life forms simply waiting for human contact. While there’s nothing wrong with being hopeful of such a...
Looking for medicinal properties in natural compounds is the cornerstone of drug discovery, with many drugs on the market originating from or inspired by plant or animal metabolites. Frog skin secretions contain hundreds of biologically active peptides, piquing the interest...
The AIDS/HIV pandemic of 1981 took everyone by surprise. In the U.S., the FDA and pharmaceutical companies raced to test the effectiveness of drug candidates like AZT in clinical trials. Many patients turned to unproven, unregulated and illegal treatments like...
The Skeptical Chemist is all about communicating tough science to a wider audience.
Our evidence-based, referenced articles are divided into several sub-categories:
Everyday Science articles explain common occurrences, like what makes methanol toxic, and why the color blue is so rare in nature
Discovery to Market articles focus on the commercial side of research, such as the costs involved in drug development
Structure-Based Design articles delve into techniques and strategies researchers use to develop the next ‘blockbuster‘ compound
Not Exactly Peer Review is a column for discussing pseudoscience, presenting the facts against issues like the non-GMO project
