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Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Research News & Studies => Topic started by: lostboy on December 30, 2006, 08:17:09 pm

Title: Downloadable BBC Documentary on the Research Process For New HIV Drug
Post by: lostboy on December 30, 2006, 08:17:09 pm

Pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, agreed to let the BBC follow their work as they develop a new treatment for HIV/Aids (Maraviroc).

I found this interesting and well balanced.  Please disregard the blatant misuse of the "C" word in the title. If you listen, let me know your thoughts.

You can download the podcasts below (as simple mp3 audio files).

Part 1:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/4888874.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/4888874.stm)

Part 2:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/4888982.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/4888982.stm)

One thing that struck me is how they rely on Universities and small research centers to come up for the ideas for new drugs.  All that the large drug companies seem to do is randomly try compounds against a disease hoping for some kind of reaction (trial and error).

Hope you enjoy!

Lost

Title: Re: Downloadable BBC Documentary on the Research Process For New HIV Drug
Post by: HIVworker on December 31, 2006, 12:30:07 am

We all rely to some extent on Universities for the basic research. As the story says, it cost millions to run clinical trials and modify molecules to get them to inhibit HIV in a manner that can be delivered orally. Balance that with trying to find ones that don't activate known toxicity pathways and aren't cleared very quickly. It isn't random trial and error. It is a mistake to rely on one companies people to do all the basic research. The more people and bodies working on it the better.

R