Image Credit: Investopedia
“The human body has been designed to resist an infinite number of changes and attacks brought about by its environment. The secret of good health lies in successful adjustment to changing stresses on the body.” – Harry J. Johnson
Article Authors: Gordon Slater| Tandose Sambo
Medical research, and scientific innovations are generated in a continuous evolution. Innovations that are currently changing our worlds include new drug development methods, and regenerative therapies. Self healing therapies that feature the utilisation of stem cell therapies and other biologic agents are now emerging.
Via a series of combinatorial patterns, drug designers are able to identify how best to synthesise a drug. With better methods to identify the most suitable drug candidates, more successful clinical trials can be conducted that will enable patient treatments to reach the market faster.
Drug development is a feedback loop, and with time progressions there will be a push for new innovations that are lucrative to emerge in a field that is seeming to decline. The limiting factor to research and development is the cost, and researchers are challenging themselves to bring R&D costs to a controllable level, and maximise the returns on the investments that are attained if a project is to be tackled.
What methods are used in optimising clinical trials?
The clinical trial is one of the most critical phases of the drug development cycle. In order to develop new and innovative products that will be lucrative, success at the clinical trial phase will be key. Drug development takes place in a series of sequential phases. With time, the keys for success at each phase have ensured that seamless flow occurs through the research pipeline.
Every research phase has its own limiting factors, and various solutions have been proposed that will ensure that these limitations are overcome. Digital technology, and the compounded effect of computer technology is enabling this change. Social media technology can assist the research process by facilitating the process of interviewing the target market of a particular drug or therapy. Data access via tools like applications (Fitbits and similar technologies) will enable data mining and trend identification. Where there is data, there will be the ability for individuals to access critical health trends. From these trends the appropriate solutions in the form of a drug or natural product can be designed.
Once the power of digital technologies is harnessed, the transformation of the drug development process will be facilitated. Organizations can control their ability to improve their R&D productivity. The critical areas of impact in the drug development cycle will include:
Automation of processes: Quality control is critical to successful drug manufacture. Process automation ensures that all critical process parameters are in place, and that all batches of a drug are within a suitable standard.
Data Sets: Data drives decision making in the modern world. Medical researchers utilize molecular models to ensure that appropriate drug design can be achieved. Physical synthetic mechanisms utilize a lot of resources, while computer technology can determine ahead of time, whether or not a process is feasible.
Via a fusion of these and various other methodologies, the odds of error in research can be minimized. Artificial Intelligence is a key enabler to drug development optimization.
What other new technologies are utilized in orthopaedic research?
Biologics and new material development is aiding the orthopaedic treatment process. Some patients may require orthopaedic implants, to replace any defective parts of their joints. Modern technologies are enabling the customization of orthopaedic implants. Customization is possible via the utilization of technologies such as 3D printers.
3D printers are a great addition to the orthopaedic surgeons tools. They are able to be utilized for the creation of anatomical models of a patient. These models can be utilized for pre-surgical planning processes. Integration of the data from MRI’s and CAT scans can be fed to 3D printers, for the production of real life patient models or custom implants for surgery.
Article Reference:
