Validation approaches for computational drug repurposing: a review.

Abstract

Drug discovery and development is a cost and time burdensome process that has stagnated the entry of new drugs into the market. The traditional process for drug development can take approximately 12 to 16 years and cost approximately $1 to $2 billion [1]. Pre-clinical research consists of laboratory and animal testing of a drug compound. Consequently, Phases I through III clinical trials determine drug safety, efficacy, and therapeutic effect, respectively. Then, in America, the drug candidate is pushed for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review. Due to the high cost and time burden of the traditional process of drug development, finding whether an existing drug can be re-positioned (i.e., repurposed) for treatment of a different disease that this drug hasn’t been indicated to in the drug label is an alternative, more cost-effective option to address many of the barriers to getting a drug to the market.