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Applications of Stem Cells in Drug Discovery
Decision Resources, Inc., Jan 2005, Pages: 15
Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can differentiate into numerous types of specialized cells with specific functions. Diseases and disorders that might benefit from stem-cell research include Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis, as well as organ transplantation and wound treatment. Stem cells are also a valuable source of material in drug discovery, high-content screening assays, and toxicology studies.
In this report, we discuss the study of both undifferentiated stem cells and adult stem cells, the use of stem-cell biology to elucidate the pathways and mechanisms involved in different diseases, ongoing research to develop methods of using stem cells to replace disease-damaged cells, stem-cell-based drug discovery platforms, the use of stem cells in drug screening and toxicology, and the outlook for stem-cell-based drug discovery. We also profile companies and consortia involved in stem-cell research and examine the legal issues surrounding the field.
Business Implications
- The development of stem cells for therapeutic purposes, including cell therapy and regenerative medicine, is emerging as a major field of pharmaceutical research. Stem-cell technology is also making inroads in drug discovery. This technology offers great potential for understanding disease mechanisms and identifying targets. Pharmaceutical companies that successfully integrate stem-cell technologies will have a competitive advantage.
- Stem cells have numerous applications in drug discovery. They are important for understanding differentiation pathways, for identifying factors needed to manipulate cell lineages, for improving screening assays, and for identifying disease targets. The production of stem-cell-derived human hepatocytes will have an immediate impact on toxicology and metabolism studies.
- Dozens of stem-cell companies are competing with one another and seeking collaborations with big pharmaceutical companies. Although the technology in these companies is still primarily in the research phase, some groups have demonstrated proof-of-concept for stem-cell technologies in animal models. Those companies that ultimately control the rights to stem cells and their uses will become dominant players. Companies that conduct stem-cell-based drug discovery and product development will achieve the greatest value.
- An important new approach in the stem-cell field is the creation of multidisciplinary research consortia of academic, medical, government, and industry partners. Although consortia could foster major advances, whether they will be able to translate basic research into the commercial arena is unclear. If successful, the consortia members will gain a major advantage in developing and applying stem-cell technology.
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