Which projects in the drug discovery field are most likely to be successful?
In this article, I provide guidelines for answering this question by
examining recent drug market entrants in detail, in particular their route
of administration, trial design, novelty, therapeutic target and toxicities. I
identify targets, trials and organizations as the key issues that are currently
leading to the poor productivity in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, I
outline some solutions and reasons for optimism, and suggest that the key
determinants for success in drug discovery can be defined by studying
recently launched drugs.