Computing in drug discovery: the design phase

Drug discovery is an extended process that can take as many as 15 years from the first compound synthesis in the laboratory until the therapeutic agent, or drug, is brought to market. Reducing the research timeline in the discovery stage is a key priority for pharmaceutical companies worldwide, and through the application and collaboration of current, advanced technologies, the industry is poised to achieve that goal. This article highlights computational chemistry, a technology that can play an important role in expediting the drug design phase.