Scientists Perceptions of the Drug Discovery Technologies

A survey of more than 1,000 scientists engaged in drug discovery research reveals that their efforts are being directed to developing new drugs to fight cancer, infectious diseases and immune/inflammatory disorders. Nearly 30% of the scientists surveyed characterized their research as identifying new drug targets" and another 15% are involved in high-throughput screening."

ARLINGTON, VA -- May 2, 2002 -- A survey of more than 1,000 scientists engaged in drug discovery research reveals that their efforts are being directed to developing new drugs to fight cancer, infectious diseases and immune/inflammatory disorders. Nearly 30% of the scientists surveyed characterized their research as identifying new drug targets" and another 15% are involved in high-throughput screening." The interim results indicate that while a third of those surveyed are involved in the early stages of drug discovery, another 28% are involved in one of the later stages of drug discovery -- process research and development. There is also a substantial percentage of respondents, one-fifth, that are focused on preclinical development.

These preliminary findings were uncovered by BioInformatics, LLC (Arlington, VA), a leading provider of market research to the biotechnology industry, while conducting its latest six-part http://www.gene2drug.com/" target="_new">market research series, The Tools & Techniques of Drug Discovery." The series examines six distinct product categories: DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, DNA microarrays, bioassays, high-throughput screening (HTS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. The knowledge gained from this research will help the pharmaceutical industry and its suppliers better understand how existing technologies and instruments need to be improved to make the discovery of new drugs more effective and efficient.

Based on six separate surveys of drug discovery researchers, the reports in the series investigate every facet of the market for drug discovery technologies. Unlike other research reports that focus mostly on high-level R&D trends, our study is designed to explore what tools and techniques are being used by pharmaceutical scientists in their labs. By looking at the drug discovery market in terms of very specific product categories, we can get a much clearer picture as to where improved technologies can help get promising compounds through the drug pipeline faster," says Bill Kelly, President of BioInformatics, LLC.

The six questionnaires are currently being fielded to qualified members of http://www.scienceboard.net/" target="_new">The Science Advisory Board -- the worlds largest online panel of scientific customers. The Science Advisory Board now is now comprised of more than 11,700 scientists, physicians and other biomedical professionals from 62 countries. This worldwide panel of scientific and medical experts convenes regularly to comment on emerging techniques. While the ongoing study will remain open for another week, 1,100 drug discovery scientists have already participated with a majority of the respondents working in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

All participants in this study are first required to participate in an initial 14-question benchmarking survey designed to identify the particular applications, diseases and processes studied as well as the techniques and equipment used in http://www.gene2drug.com/" target="_new">drug discovery research," according to Tamara Zemlo, PhD who oversees the activities of The Science Advisory Board. Based on their responses to this initial survey, qualified respondents are invited to participate in subsequent surveys relating to the specific applications and techniques where they have experience," says Zemlo. Each of the six subsequent questionnaires collects detailed data on product usage and applications, most important product features, preferred suppliers, definitions of product quality, levels of satisfaction with current products and the scientists unmet needs.

A preliminary analysis of the data indicates that while receptor-binding is a key process that drug discovery scientists monitor in their research, there is also a great deal of attention given to signal transduction pathways, drug toxicity, immune responses, transcription, apoptosis, metabolism and protein modifications. Despite the wide variety, protein assays top out as the most common technique used to study these processes or states. The scientists surveyed are also employing western blotting and classical PCR as well as enzymatic assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). "It seems that scientists are relying on more conventional techniques that they are familiar with rather than embracing newer technologies such as microarrays in their drug discovery research," speculates Zemlo. Supporting this assertion, automated systems appear to be more popular for PCR amplification than for either protein or DNA microarrays.

The Tools & Techniques of Drug Discovery" will be published in May 2002, and the six parts can be purchased as a set or as individual reports. The willingness of more than 1,000 scientists to share their experiences, preferences and unmet needs reflects the importance they place on communicating with their suppliers. These scientific customers understand that by making their opinions known, suppliers will be better able to develop and deliver the products and advanced instrumentation that will help the pharmaceutical industry discover new drugs and get them to patients faster.

ABOUT BIOINFORMATICS, LLC

http://www.gene2drug.com/" target="_new">BioInformatics, LLC is a market research firm located in Arlington, Virginia. BioInformatics supports marketing, sales and R&D executives in the life science, medical device and pharmaceutical industries through published research reports, custom research and consulting. BioInformatics sponsors http://www.scienceboard.net/" target="_new">The Science Advisory Board, an online panel of more than 11,700 scientists, physicians and other life science and medical professionals from 62 countries who participate in surveys that address emerging technologies, test customer reactions to new product concepts, measure brand awareness and assess advertising effectiveness.

FOR A COMPLIMENTARY PROSPECTUS OF ANY REPORT PLEASE VISIT http://www.gene2drug.com/published" target="_new">HTTP://WWW.GENE2DRUG.COM/PUBLISHED OR CONTACT:

Alyssa Martin
BioInformatics, LLC
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a.martin@gene2drug.com
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