Whopping advances has been made in the research and development of the drugs for treating various conditions.

This is supported by the decisive role played by the technological advancement that increased the quality of output at many stages of drug development process. The conventional approach to discovering a drug involves de novo identification and evaluation of new molecule.

Here, the review outlines some of the recent advances in the drug discovery.

1. New drug battles against IBS with constipation

A new drug called plecanatide (Trulance), a guanylate cyclase-C agonist, was approved by FDA for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Plecanatide works by stimulating the fluid secretions in the intestine and supports regular bowel movement in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. The recommended dose of the drug is 3mg taken orally once daily.

2. Novel paradigm to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism

The FDA approved a new drug called etelcalcetide for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis. The drug is administered intravenously and dose recommended is 10mg/2mL once daily. The drug belongs to the class of calcium-sensing receptor agonists. It works by modulating the calcium-sensing receptor by binding to it. Then, it enhances the activation of the receptor causing parathyroid cells to decrease the PTH secretion.The drug demonstrated efficacy in the clinical trials by fulfilling the unmet needs of other class of drugs used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism. The FDA approves the drug based on the data available from two phase 3 clinical trials. However, the researchers say that further survey is required to determine the safety of the drug.

3. A wonder drug helps control bad cholesterol

Increased LDL cholesterol can be a risk factor for developing various heart diseases such as heart attack and ischaemic stroke. A recent study revealed that inclisiran, a small interfering RNA, targets a specific type of messenger RNA that dramatically reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol lowering the risk of heart disease. Experts say that despite long-term use of statins, the effects of the drug can be hindered by adherence. Hence, use of this novel drug can maintain a consistent reduction of LDL cholesterol over time.

4. First drug approved for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma

Avelumab is a novel drug which is granted by the FDA recently for the treatment of advanced Merkel cell carcinoma. Avelumab is a monoclonal antibody that works by binding to programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Thus, the drug aids in immune checkpoint blockade in cancer. It is the first immunotherapeutic drug approved for Merkel cell carcinoma.The field of clinical research today provides handful of discoveries that offers glimmers of hope for the patients with various diseases and life-threatening conditions. Undoubtedly, there is a tremendous increase in the patient’s quality of life through these major scientific breakthroughs.

References

1. Al-Salama ZT, Syed YY. Plecanatide: First Global Approval. Drugs, 2017; 77(5):593-598. 
2. Hamano N, Komaba H, Fukagawa M. Etelcalcetide for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Expert Opin Pharmacother, 2017; 18(5):529-534. 
3. Kim ES. Avelumab: First Global Approval. Drugs. 2017; 77(8):929-937. 
4. Terheyden P1, Becker JC. New developments in the biology and the treatment of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma. Curr Opin Oncol. 2017 Mar 9.