Learn how emerging approaches in drug targeting, delivery, and molecular design are redefining possibilities in biotech and pharma R&D.
The pace of innovation in drug discovery is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, driven by scientific breakthroughs, the rise of AI tools, and the urgent need to tackle complex health challenges once thought out of reach. For biotech and pharma R&D professionals, staying ahead of the curve means looking beyond one’s immediate research area and keeping an eye on broader areas that could reshape the therapeutic landscape.
In this post, we explore three challenging yet exciting areas that are drawing attention from thought leaders worldwide and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in drug discovery, delivery, and development. Explore these curated research collections for insights to inspire your next discovery:
Drugging the Undruggable
Covalent Modulators: Selective and Strong, Back in the Spotlight
Advances and Trends in Microneedle-Assisted Transdermal Drug Delivery
Drugging the Undruggable
Explore a recent Special Issue in Chemical Reviews, where thought leaders and pioneers share breakthroughs in emerging chemical technologies that support the ambitious goal of overcoming “undruggable” targets.
This collective research effort centers on two primary directions: expanding the chemical toolbox and probing new chemical opportunities.
Expanding the chemical toolbox, such as incorporating covalent chemistry, is a reemerging research frontier. Reviews by Hamachi et al., Hsu et al., and London offer in-depth coverage of this rapidly evolving area. Collectively, these works have garnered over 30,000 views within just a few months of publication.
Among the most-viewed articles on new chemical opportunities, Wells and team explore the untapped therapeutic potential of the cell surface proteome, while Mikutis and Bernardes review emerging technologies for selective RNA degradation and RNA decay to expand the target landscape of disease-linked biomolecules.
Covalent Modulators: Selective and Strong, Back in the Spotlight
This multi-journal Special Issue highlights the latest advances in covalent modulators for medicinal chemistry and drug discovery—a rapidly growing field offering a wealth of new opportunities and solutions.
This Special Issue features 45 contributions from academia and industry, including research articles, perspectives, drug annotations, and reviews. The collection spans the drug discovery continuum, from early technology development to the disclosure of covalent clinical candidates.
A few high-impact examples include:
- Baud and colleagues explore 2-sulfonylpyrimidine warheads as acrylamide surrogates for targeted covalent inhibition.
- New drug candidates are presented by Hopkins et al. from Biogen for multiple sclerosis and by Kettle et al. from AstraZeneca for targeted cancer therapy.
- Duncan et al. review reversible covalent inhibition and outlinedimportant characteristics of reversible covalent inhibitors, including examples and a guide for inhibitor development.
- Hartung et al. propose quality criteria for covalent and degrader probes to expand the chemical probe space.
Advances and Trends in Microneedle-Assisted Transdermal Drug Delivery
My personal favorite—and likely good news for many patients—is the Special Issue on microneedle (MN)-assisted transdermal drug delivery. Demand for these technologies is at an all-time high, and MN systems are pushing the boundaries of drug delivery innovation.
This Special Issue includes:
- Key findings across a range of diseases, including chronic conditions, cancer, and neurological disorders.
- Advances in MN design optimization and integration of nanocarriers.
- Biodegradable, eco-friendly solutions for next-generation delivery systems.
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