5. Conclusion

Starting with the three-dimensional structure of a target of therapeutic interest, obtained either by experimental techniques (X-ray diffraction or NMR spectroscopy) or by molecular modeling, numerous ligands to be synthesized can be rapidly studied until the best complementarity with the chosen receptor protein is discovered. This reduces the economic cost of drug development. In general, three properties need to be optimized: affinity, selectivity and pharmacokinetic characteristics, in order to select the best drug candidate.

The various drug production tools used are often complementary to one another, and after a certain infatuation with new technologies, we are finding that classic methodologies are still of interest. We are currently witnessing a rebalancing between the production of small molecules and biotechnology-derived compounds: one in four drugs reaching...