Patents of bio-active compounds based on computer-aided drug discovery techniques

Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2013 Jan 1;5(2):399-407. doi: 10.2741/e623.

Abstract

In recent times, there has been an increased use of Computer-Aided Drug Discovery (CADD) techniques in Medicinal Chemistry as auxiliary tools in drug discovery. Whilst the ultimate goal of Medicinal Chemistry research is for the discovery of new drug candidates, a secondary yet important outcome that results is in the creation of new computational tools. This process is often accompanied by a lack of understanding of the legal aspects related to software and model use, that is, the copyright protection of new medicinal chemistry software and software-mediated discovered products. In the center of picture, which lies in the frontiers of legal, chemistry, and biosciences, we found computational modeling-based drug discovery patents. This article aims to review prominent cases of patents of bio-active organic compounds that involved/protect also computational techniques. We put special emphasis on patents based on Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) models but we include other techniques too. An overview of relevant international issues on drug patenting is also presented.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / economics
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / methods
  • Computer-Aided Design / economics
  • Computer-Aided Design / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Patents as Topic / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / chemistry
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / economics*
  • Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship*

Substances

  • Pharmaceutical Preparations