Thoroughly revised and updated, "Optimization in Drug Discovery: In Vitro Methods, Second Edition" presents a wide spectrum of in vitro assays including formulation, plasma binding, absorption and permeability, cytochrome P450 (CYP) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) metabolism, CYP inhibition and induction, drug transporters, drug-drug interactions via assessment of reactive metabolites, genotoxicity, and chemical and photo-mutagenicity assays. Written for the "Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology" series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Expert authors have developed and utilized these in vitro assays to achieve drug-like characteristics in addition to efficacy properties and good safety profiles of drug candidates.

Comprehensive and up-to-date, "Optimization in Drug Discovery: In Vitro Methods, Second Edition" aims to guide researchers down the difficult path to successful drug discovery and development."

Recent analyses of drug attrition rates reveal that a significant number of drug candidates fail in the later stage of clinical development owing to absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination (ADME), and toxicity issues. Lead optimization in drug discovery, a process attempting to uncover and correct these defects of drug candidates, is highly beneficial in lowering the cost and time to develop therapeutic drugs by reducing drug candidate failures in development. At present, parallel synthesis combining with high-throughput screening has made it easier to generate highly potent compounds (i. e. , hits). However, to be a potential drug, a hit must have drug-like characteristics in addition to potency, which include optimal physicochemical properties, reasonable ph- macokinetic parameters, and good safety profiles. Therefore, research tools must be available in drug discovery to rapidly screen for compounds with favorable drug-like properties, and thus adequate resources can be directed to projects with high potential. Optimization in Drug Discovery: In Vitro Methods is a compilation of detailed experimental protocols necessary for setting up a variety of assays important in compound evaluation. A total of 25 chapters, contributed by many experts in their research areas, cover a wide spectrum of subjects including physicochemical properties, abso- tion, plasma binding, metabolism, drug interactions, and toxicity. A good pharmacokinetic profile has long been recognized as an imp- tant drug-like characteristic. Pharmacokinetic parameters are affected by many properties of drug molecules such as physicochemical nature, abso- tion, metabolic stability, and so on.

This collection explores detailed experimental protocols necessary for setting up a variety of in vitro cytochrome P450 (CYP) assays that are vital in selecting drug candidates in a drug discovery pipeline. Major factors affecting drug metabolism include CYP expression levels, kinetic parameters for individual CYP enzymes, CYP inhibition and induction, time-dependent inhibition (TDI), CYP stability, non-CYP stability, UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) stability, excretion mechanisms, and drug-drug interactions (DDI), all addressed in this volume. Written for the Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology series, chapters include helpful background information on the in vitro assay, a list of all the materials, reagents, and equipment necessary to carry out the assay, a step-by-step protocol, notes containing common and unexpected experimental problems in the assay, as well as references containing important supplementary reading. Authoritative and practical, Cytochrome P450: In Vitro Methods and Protocols serves as a key guide for researchers in the area of discovery and development of new medicines.

Recent analyses of drug attrition rates reveal that a significant number of drug candidates fail in the later stage of clinical development owing to absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination (ADME), and toxicity issues. Lead optimization in drug discovery, a process attempting to uncover and correct these defects of drug candidates, is highly beneficial in lowering the cost and time to develop therapeutic drugs by reducing drug candidate failures in development. At present, parallel synthesis combining with high-throughput screening has made it easier to generate highly potent compounds (i. e. , hits). However, to be a potential drug, a hit must have drug-like characteristics in addition to potency, which include optimal physicochemical properties, reasonable ph- macokinetic parameters, and good safety profiles. Therefore, research tools must be available in drug discovery to rapidly screen for compounds with favorable drug-like properties, and thus adequate resources can be directed to projects with high potential. Optimization in Drug Discovery: In Vitro Methods is a compilation of detailed experimental protocols necessary for setting up a variety of assays important in compound evaluation. A total of 25 chapters, contributed by many experts in their research areas, cover a wide spectrum of subjects including physicochemical properties, abso- tion, plasma binding, metabolism, drug interactions, and toxicity. A good pharmacokinetic profile has long been recognized as an imp- tant drug-like characteristic. Pharmacokinetic parameters are affected by many properties of drug molecules such as physicochemical nature, abso- tion, metabolic stability, and so on.