The increasing number of drug discovery initiatives by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies toward structure-based drug design is rapidly advancing structural proteomics
The increasing number of drug discovery initiatives by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies toward structure-based drug design is rapidly advancing structural proteomics technologies and driving their adoption.
Structural proteomics involves determination of the structure of large numbers of proteins on an industrialised research scale.
Combining structural biology with computational and medicinal chemistry can help design drugs that are more effective.
New analysis from Frost and Sullivan, World Structural Proteomics Market, reveals that the protein purification and molecular structure market generated US$87 million and $151.6 million, respectively, in 2002.
This is expected to rise to $221.4 million and $319.9 million in 2009.
"Structure-based drug design has significant potential to reduce the costs and time commitments associated with traditional drug discovery methods," says Frost and Sullivan research analyst Sinead Igoe.
With the sequencing of the human genome completed, research focus has turned to the study of the products of these genes - proteins.
As interest in structural proteomics rises, both government and private entities are making significant investments to capitalise on the new information and generate novel drugs.
Understanding exactly how small molecules bind to their protein target is a factor vital to proteomics studies and protein crystallography helps researchers in this process.
Automated protein crystallisation offers the high throughput that is needed for high throughput protein crystallography.
However, the difficulty of obtaining high purity level proteins and large quantities of crystals is impeding rapid growth in structural proteomics studies.
The high cost of ultra high field instruments is also slowing placement despite the interest and demand from researchers in the academic and pharmaceutical labs. Manufacturers need to increase the awareness of the benefits for the researcher attached to these expensive instruments.
In addition, suppliers need to increase the upgrade and replacement rates of the instruments and pursue partnerships with informatics companies to fully integrate growing data requirements. "Nurturing early access agreements with leading research institutes will help ensure commercial success," says Igoe.
