EFMC: Trends in Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Abstract

Ground-breaking research in disease biology and continuous efforts in method development have uncovered a range of potential new drug targets. Increasingly, the drug discovery process is informed by technologies involving chemical probes as tools. Applications for chemical probes comprise target identification and assessment, as well as the qualification of small molecules as chemical starting points and drug candidates. Progress in probe chemistry has opened the way to novel assay formats and pharmaceutical compound classes. The European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology (EFMC) has launched the Chemical Biology Initiative to advance science in the field of medicinal chemistry and chemical biology, while representing all members of this extended scientific community. This review provides an overview of the many important developments in the field of chemical biology that have happened at the lively interface of academic and industrial research.

Adapting to the Changing Landscape of Biotech-Driven Drug Discovery

“…Auberson and a group of medicinal chemists at the EFMC have highlighted some of the exciting new trends that await the medicinal chemists of the future, such as chemical inducers of proximity and RNA-targeting agents as examples. 10 In addition to these examples, the field of chemical biology continues to expand and offers opportunities to work at the interface of biological targets and chemistry in a way that did not exist 20 years ago. Other examples include the rise in new drug approvals for alternative modalities such as antibody-directed conjugates (ADCs) and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs).…”

“…Although I personally still believe that the skill set learned by the practice of organic synthetic chemistry still provides one of the best foundations for a medicinal chemist, it is important to recognize that the field is changing, and perhaps other skills will be necessary to complement synthetic organic chemistry. Auberson and a group of medicinal chemists at the EFMC have highlighted some of the exciting new trends that await the medicinal chemists of the future, such as chemical inducers of proximity and RNA-targeting agents as examples . In addition to these examples, the field of chemical biology continues to expand and offers opportunities to work at the interface of biological targets and chemistry in a way that did not exist 20 years ago.…”

Advances in Chemical Probing Concepts for Chemical Biology Applications

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Chemistry at the interface of biology is playing an increasingly important role in biomedical science, facilitating new cuttingedge technologies to understand biology and discover new treatments for human diseases. [1] The concept of "chemical genetics" recognizes the power of bioactive molecules as tools to study biological processes. [2] In analogy to genetic perturbations, forward and reverse chemical genetics approaches can be distinguished.

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