Fueling the Pipeline via Innovations in Organic Synthesis

by Selleckchem | Aug 10 2023

The paramount importance of synthetic organic chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry arises from the necessity to physically prepare all designed molecules to obtain key data to feed the design-synthesis-data cycle, with the medicinal chemist at the center of this cycle. Synthesis specialists accelerate the cycle of medicinal chemistry innovation by rapidly identifying and executing impactful synthetic methods and strategies to accomplish project goals, addressing the synthetic accessibility bottleneck that often plagues discovery efforts. At AbbVie, Discovery Synthesis Groups (DSGs) such as Centralized Organic Synthesis (COS) have been deployed as embedded members of medicinal chemistry teams, filling the gap between discovery and process chemistry. COS chemists provide synthetic tools, scaffolds, and lead compounds to fuel the pipeline. Examples of project contributions from neuroscience, cystic fibrosis, and virology illustrate the impact of the DSG approach. In the first ten years of innovative science in pursuit of excellence in synthesis, several advanced drug candidates, including ABBV-2222 (galicaftor) for cystic fibrosis and foslevodopa/foscarbidopa for Parkinson's disease, have emerged with key contributions from COS.

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Synthetic organic chemistry plays a paramount role in the pharmaceutical industry, primarily because it enables the physical preparation of designed molecules. This preparation process is crucial for obtaining essential data that informs the design-synthesis-data cycle, with medicinal chemists at the core of this iterative process. The involvement of synthesis specialists accelerates the pace of innovation in medicinal chemistry by swiftly identifying and implementing effective synthetic methods and strategies. This approach helps overcome the challenge of synthetic accessibility, which often hampers drug discovery efforts.

AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company, has implemented Discovery Synthesis Groups (DSGs), such as the Centralized Organic Synthesis (COS) team, within medicinal chemistry teams. These DSGs bridge the gap between drug discovery and process chemistry by actively contributing to the pipeline of drug candidates. COS chemists provide the necessary synthetic tools, scaffolds, and lead compounds that fuel the development of new drugs.

The impact of the DSG approach can be seen through examples from various therapeutic areas. In neuroscience, COS has made significant contributions to the synthesis of advanced drug candidates. Additionally, in the field of cystic fibrosis, COS's involvement has been instrumental in the development of ABBV-2222 (galicaftor), a promising drug candidate. Similarly, COS has contributed to the synthesis of foslevodopa/foscarbidopa, which are drug candidates for Parkinson's disease.

Over the first ten years of implementing innovative synthetic chemistry practices aimed at achieving excellence in synthesis, AbbVie's COS has successfully contributed to the development of several advanced drug candidates. These examples highlight the importance of synthetic organic chemistry and the valuable role played by COS in advancing drug discovery and development efforts in the pharmaceutical industry.