Drug Discovery for Nervous System Diseases / Edition 1

by Franz F. Hefti

Overview

The neurosciences have been an especially difficult field for drug discovery. Because of the huge complexity of the nervous system and poor understanding of most psychiatric and neurological diseases, most drugs currently available are the result of chance observations rather than a truly comprehensive approach. However, this situation has begun to change. Enormous progress in molecular biology has yielded breakthrough discoveries of the causes of nervous system diseases, opening the door for better-targeted and entirely novel therapies.
Reflecting these recent advances, Drug Discovery for Nervous System Diseases presents the latest techniques and approaches for drug discovery, organizing them according to diseases rather than classes of drugs or drug targets, as past books have done. Written with optimistic anticipation of great progress still to come, this text provides both a guide to present realities and a look to future possibilities in this burgeoning field.

Coverage in Drug Discovery for Nervous System Diseases includes:

* Fundamentals of drug discovery-receptors, target selection, and drug development
* Schizophrenia
* Depression
* Anxiety disorders
* Alzheimer's disease
* Parkinson's disease
* Ischemic stroke, brain, and spinal cord injury
* Other neurodegenerative diseases
* Sleep disorders
* Epilepsy
* Pain

This practical handbook features a uniform presentation for each chapter, with a brief description of existing drugs leading to recent molecular biological and genetic findings, translational research and the interface to clinical trials, and finally an outlook on future drug targets. Rich illustrations-schematic diagrams and tables-provide a dynamic visual experience throughout the text.

A unique and up-to-date guide to a field currently undergoing a major growth spurt, Drug Discovery for Nervous System Diseases offers both practitioners and advanced students an unparalleled resource.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471465638
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	11/08/2004
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	7.05(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

Franz F. Hefti, PhD, held academic positions between 1985 and 1995, first as Associate Professor at the University of Miami, Florida, than as Professor with endowed chair at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He conducted pioneering research in the area of neurotrophic factors by demonstrating that these proteins can rescue dying nerve cells in the adult brain. He has served as Director of Neuroscience Research at Genentech Inc., pursuing industrial applications of his research on neurotrophic factors, leading to phase III trials with nerve growth factor. Since 1995 his activities have been dedicated to the discovery of novel drugs for neurological and psychiatric diseases in the pharmaceutical industry. From 1995 to 2001 he was Vice President at Merck Research Laboratories and Director of The Neuroscience Research Centre of Merck Sharp & Dohme. He later served as Senior Vice President of Neuroscience Research at Merck & Co.

Table of Contents

Preface.

1. Introduction.

2. Drug Receptors and the Fundamentals of Pharmacology.

3. Drug Discovery.

4. Drug Target Selection for Nervous System Diseases.

5. From Drug Target to Drug, Neuroscience Specific Problems.

6. Schizophrenia.

7. Depression.

8. Anxiety Disorders.

9. Alzheimer’s Disease.

10. Parkinson’s Disease.

11. Ischemic Stroke, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury.

12. Other Neurodegenerative Diseases.

13. Sleep Disorders.

14. Epilepsy.

15. Pain.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Beth Levant, Ph.D.(University of Kansas Medical Center)
Description: This book presents the current status of knowledge and research aimed at developing new drugs for diseases of the nervous system. General principles of pharmacology and the process of drug discovery are reviewed, followed by detailed chapters on drug discovery for the major classes of nervous system disorders.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide an introductory book on drug discovery in the neurosciences. It is intended to fill a niche not served by other books by combining an overview of relevant pharmacological principles and the drug discovery process with detailed discussion of the state of drug discovery efforts for a number of important diseases of the nervous system. Disease-oriented chapters include discussion of relevant pathology and the pharmacology of currently available drugs, as well as presentation of the scientific background, rationale, and methods for new drug targets currently under investigation. Thus, the book brings together and synthesizes a large volume of highly relevant information that has heretofore not been available in a single publication.
Audience: The target audience is individuals who seek or have professional involvement in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, or academic researchers engaged in drug discovery. It is also likely to be useful to students and researchers of neuropharmacology and diseases of the nervous system who are not engaged in drug discovery. Although the author proposes that an undergraduate background in biology or physiology should be sufficient for readers, some sections of the book, and full appreciation of its nuances, may be lost to those without some background in neuroscience and pharmacology. The author has had a career in academic research in the area of neurotrophic factors and has been actively involved in drug discovery efforts for diseases of nervous system for the last 10 years, including serving as senior vice president of neuroscience research at Merck & Co., and is an authority in the field.
Features: The author begins with a history of the field of neuropharmacology followed by chapters on relevant principles of pharmacology, an overview of the drug discovery process, a general discussion of types of drug targets, and important issues specific to drug discovery efforts in the neurosciences. He then presents chapters focusing on 10 major categories of nervous system disorders, such as schizophrenia and sleep disorders. These chapters present a description of the disorder and its underlying pathology; a review of currently available drugs and their mechanisms of action; background, rationale, and methods for new drug targets currently under investigation; and a discussion of the challenges for drug discovery efforts for that disease. All chapters have a list of suggested readings that includes current review articles from recognized authorities in each field, in addition to the primary literature cited in the references. High quality graphics and summary tables aid understanding and the increase usefulness. Notable weaknesses include the cursory treatment of medicinal chemistry in chapter 3, which fails to introduce key concepts such as rational drug design, molecular modeling, and combinatorial chemistry, and minor inaccuracies in the discussions of specific drugs and novel drug targets. In addition, the author sometimes fails to provide sufficient background information, such as definitions of terms, to enable the understanding of the subsequent discussion for readers who do not already have some familiarity with the material.
Assessment: This book is unique in providing an overview and synthesis of the current state of research on diseases of the nervous system, relevant pharmacological principles, and an overview of the drug discovery process. Within its limitations, it should be useful to its intended target audience as well as other students and researchers interested in neuropharmacology and diseases of the nervous system.

Doody's Review Service

"It is a book I enjoyed reading; it is both expression and science." (Journal of Natural Products, October 2005)

"…an outstanding overview of the current state of drug discovery…" (Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, No. 10, 2005)

"…handy for old-timers who need a quick refresher on current therapy for neurological disorders." (Current Separations, August 2005)

"…highly readable and informative. The entire book is carefully organized and very well written. It provides an excellent resource…" (American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Volume 69, Issue 4, 2005)

"…recommended for all practitioners and advanced students who have an interest in this field." (E-STREAMS, August 2005)

"...unique in providing an overview and synthesis of the current state of research on diseases of the nervous system, relevant pharmacological principles, and…the drug discovery process." (Doody's Book Review Service)

"The text gives an overview of the state of current research, but also gives an outlook on possible future drug targets." (Drug Discovery & Development, February 2005)

“...a marvelous text that offers the medical community a new perspective on both treatment and research.…” (Electric Review, November 2004)

From the Publisher

4 Stars! from Doody