Genomics and new technologies as catalysts for change in the drug discovery paradigm

The pharmaceutical industry is faced with unprecedented opportunities emerg ing from genomic sequencing. In parallel, many new technologies in the area s of informatics, molecular biology, combinatorial chemistry, and high thro ughput screening offer new strategies to deal with this mass of information and translate it into tangible treatments for human diseases. Increasing p ressures to control prices counterbalances these opportunities. This parado x will require a rethinking of how the industry approaches drug discovery a nd development, and new paradigms will need to be explored to ensure these opportunities can realized for human health care in a timely and cost-effec tive manner.