A prominent viewpoint is that we are losing control of infectious diseases. There are stories of mutant and lethal superbugs that run rampant, while evil pharmaceutical companies, inefficient government, and ivory tower academics fail to effectively respond. The view that our medical options for infectious diseases are getting worse is a stunning reversal of the view held by every preceding generation of the 20th century. In particular, the negative views held of those who create, test, and develop new medicines represent a challenge to both sustaining our medical miracles, and to a rational debate on medical and pharmaceutical care.
In contrast, the reputation of pathogens has fared well in the popular press. The exploits of bacteria are regularly hailed, with reports of “flesh eating bacteria” and “superbugs” that are becoming resistant to all known antibiotics. The bacteria are reported to be “smart” in admiring tones, while medical journals and newspapers alike focus on the failures of new and existing antibiotics.
The role of anti-infective drug discovery will be covered from the perspective of what it actually takes to go from a test tube to an antibiotic that is proven safe and effective in humans. The focus will be on anti-bacterial drug therapies and the role of bacterial drug resistance in this process. Several of the popular myths of pharmaceutical development will be addressed and discussed with the audience as we focus on the different roles of Academics, Industry, and Government in the process of creating new medicines.
Presenter:
Jeffrey D. Alder, Ph.D.
Vice President, Drug Discovery and Evaluation
Cubist Pharmaceuticals
Thursday
May 3, 2007
11:00 a.m.
Marine Sciences Building (MSB) 100
Refreshments will be served after the seminar in POST 121
The Pacific Research Center for Marine Biomedicine (PRCMB) is a newly established center at the University of Hawaii dedicated to trans-disciplinary research designed to gain new knowledge about the profound impacts of the ocean on human health. The Center is funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
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