Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

Recent advances in drug development: the Janssen perspective

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 2013; 23: Supplement S59-S292
Read: 532 Published: 17 March 2021

Probability of success in neuroscience drug development is considered low, while at the same time drugs targeting the CNS are the most expensive to develop. Consequently, a number of pharmaceutical companies have exited this area of drug development. However, there remains a major unmet medical need, with many patients suffering from CNS disorders showing no, partial or delayed response, suffering from side effects associated with current medication, or being faced with a lack of therapeutic opportunities. At the same time, our understanding of brain function and pathophysiology of CNS diseases is an area of tremendous advancement and there have been substantial technological developments that can help drug development in this area. To further enhance our probability of success, the Neuroscience Therapeutic Area at Janssen acts on a few key principles: 1. Focus on a few therapeutic indications and development of in-depth expertise. 2. Better understanding of the neurobiological basis of complex neuropsychiatric illnesses and symptom clusters, co-development of biomarkers and diagnostics. 3. A translational approach to enhance predictability of drug effects in patients. 4. Enhancement of target tractability by development of biologics in addition to small molecules and exploration of alternative delivery methods. 5. Early proof-of-concept trials. 6. Tapping into multiple sources for innovation, including external research. Points will be illustrated with specific examples.

EISSN 2475-0581