SYNTHETIC CHEMISTRY SUPPORT FOR THE TDB MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY TEAM

University Of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

The Therapeutic Development Branch (TDB) conducts translational research in human therapeutics development and aims to move small molecule and biologic drug candidates forward in the drug development pipeline. A critical focus area for TDB is to efficiently identify preclinical development candidates for rare and neglected diseases. To accomplish this mission, TDB builds teams of chemists; pharmacologists; absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME)/pharmacokinetics (PK) experts; and toxicologists to work closely together to perform medicinal chemistry optimization on promising therapeutic lead compounds. TDB medicinal chemists engage contract research organizations (CROs) to support multiple lead generation and lead optimization projects in parallel. Currently, the TDB medicinal chemistry team is working on the following projects: 1) Development of malaria transmission-blocking drugs, and 2) Development of therapeutic candidates for rare ADCK3-amplified cancers.