Drug Discovery

SBP has the scientific expertise and technology platforms necessary to develop new therapeutics that address unmet clinical needs of patients. Our journey starts at the beginning – establishing innovative disease targets – and continues until our drug therapies are ready for patient testing.

Our Drug Discovery Groups

Prebys Center for Drug Discovery

The Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics (Prebys Center) is SBP’s comprehensive center for drug discovery and chemical biology. With our extensive pharmaceutical/biotech drug discovery and development experience, we are well-positioned to drive projects toward an end goal that will ultimately benefit patients. We have projects in all stages of drug discovery, from target I. D. and validation through preclinical development. We have a strong track record of being the partner of choice for academic, foundation and pharmaceutical partners, as well as generating original research and leads within our group.

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Translational Medicine Accelerator

The TMA identifies and advances lab discoveries with the greatest potential to address unmet clinical needs.

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NCI-Designated Cancer Center

The Institute’s Cancer Center is one of only seven NCI-designated basic cancer research centers in the nation. We couple fundamental biological research with early translational studies to find new, innovative therapies that restore hope to cancer patients and their families.

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Center for Metabolic Origins of Disease

The Center for Metabolic Origins of Disease studies common diseases that have reached pandemic scale including obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications. We have established an exciting environment that promotes multi-disciplinary discovery research toward breakthrough preventive and therapeutic strategies.

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Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center

Infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis continue to rank high among global mortality factors, especially in developing countries, and systemic inflammation has been identified as a root case of many chronic disorders in the developed world.

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Neuroscience and Aging Research Center

Diseases associated with aging and development are already a leading cause of death and disability, and their prevalence is rising fast. By 2050, the number of Alzheimer’s patients age 65 and older may nearly triple from 5 million to 13.8 million.

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Sanford Children's Health Research Center

Diseases that predominantly affect children are too often unaddressed by the biopharmaceutical industry and government funding agencies. Rare childhood diseases – those affecting fewer than 200,000 in the U.S – are especially overlooked.

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SBP DRUG DISCOVERY PIPELINE

A drug discovery pipeline is created in distinct stages. At SBP, we start at the beginning—establishing innovative disease targets—and continue until it’s time to test drugs in patients. At that point, we partner with organizations such as hospitals, clinical research organizations and pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials in phases designed to answer specific research questions.

Drug discovery projects

Pipeline Stages

1. Drug Target

A disease modifying molecule—protein, DNA, RNA—that has a proven function in the pathophysiology of disease

Pipeline Stages

2. Assay Development

A method to assess the functional response of an exploratory drug compound(s)

Pipeline Stages

3. High-Throughput Screen (HTS)

Robotic technology that systematically searches through hundreds of thousands of chemical compounds to find the few “HITS” that are starting points for new medicines

Pipeline Stages

4. Hit to Lead

Confirmation that a HIT compound is viable, ensuring that the prototype drug impacts the target as predicted.

Pipeline Stages

5. Lead Optimization

The prototype drug is optimized to become a tolerable drug, making it more specific, less toxic, soluble, and active.

Pipeline Stages

6. Candidate Seeking

Selecting the single most promising candidate drug from the list of lead agents.

Pipeline Stages

7. Pre-clinical Testing

Non-human studies that assess the dosing and toxicity levels of a candidate drug. After preclinical testing, the decision is made whether to move forward in human clinical testing.

A path to the medicines of tomorrow

Our Drug Discovery Groups

Pipeline Stages

1. Drug Target

A disease modifying molecule—protein, DNA, RNA—that has a proven function in the pathophysiology of disease

Pipeline Stages

2. Assay Development

A method to assess the functional response of an exploratory drug compound(s)

Pipeline Stages

3. High-Throughput Screen (HTS)

Robotic technology that systematically searches through hundreds of thousands of chemical compounds to find the few “HITS” that are starting points for new medicines

Pipeline Stages

4. Hit to Lead

Confirmation that a HIT compound is viable, ensuring that the prototype drug impacts the target as predicted.

Pipeline Stages

5. Lead Optimization

The prototype drug is optimized to become a tolerable drug, making it more specific, less toxic, soluble, and active.

Pipeline Stages

6. Candidate Seeking

Selecting the single most promising candidate drug from the list of lead agents.

Pipeline Stages

7. Pre-clinical Testing

Non-human studies that assess the dosing and toxicity levels of a candidate drug. After preclinical testing, the decision is made whether to move forward in human clinical testing.

Pipeline Stages

8. Phase I-III Clinical Testing

A series of clinical trials designed to ensure that new treatments are effective and better than existing therapies.

Pipeline Stages

9. FDA Approval

Confirmation the by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the benefits of a drug outweigh the potential risks for the intended use.