Drug Design - Classical vs Modern Approaches

Drug design is the process of creating new medications or modifying existing ones to treat or prevent diseases. There are two main approaches to drug design: classical and modern. Classical drug design involves the modification of existing compounds based on their structure and known biological activity. This approach relies on trial and error and is time-consuming, but it has led to the development of many important medications, such as aspirin and penicillin. Modern drug design, on the other hand, uses computational methods and advanced technologies, such as high-throughput screening and computer-aided drug design, to identify potential drug candidates more quickly and accurately. This approach allows for the design of drugs that are more specific and effective, with reduced side effects. Additionally, modern drug design can target previously undruggable targets, such as intracellular proteins or protein-protein interactions. The use of biotechnology and genomics has also enabled the development of targeted therapies that can treat specific genetic mutations or diseases. Overall, both classical and modern drug design approaches have their strengths and limitations, and the choice of approach depends on the specific goals and resources available.