Global drug pipeline

Peptides are also amphiphilic polymers, i.e., mostly positively charged molecules with short amino acid chains, and are a key component of the innate immune system. The focus on amphiphilic polymers is due to some reports suggesting that the current global drug pipeline is woefully inadequate due to bacterial resistance to antibiotics [3]. The application of amphiphilic polymers and their block polymers to stop the microbial growth of infected tissue has been reported in the literature [4]. 

The current global mAb pipeline comprises approximately 140 drugs in development (with approximately 75 in clinical development), and is prepared to deliver as many as 13 new mAbs between 2005 and 2008. Despite problems and limitations in different arenas with regard to production and preclinical/clinical development (e.g., high cost and adverse reactions), continued effort is being undertaken in the development of mAb drug products. In 2003, sales of mAbs reached approximately US 5 billion, this being a 27% increase compared to 2001. 

IMS R D Focus. IMS Health, 660 West Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462-0905, U.S.A. Phone +1 610-834-5000. URL http //www.ims-global.com. IMS s pipeline database, R D Focus, covers approximately 8500 drugs in development from preclinical through launch. The database is part of the IMS Lifecycle collection of databases. This collection includes New Product Focus, which covers launched drugs and Patent Focus, which covers the patent status of compounds. The product is available via an Internet subscription, CD-ROM or online. Customized licenses are available upon request. 

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