Pharmaceutical-based research
Drug Discovery
Influenza is a viral infection of the lungs. The virus attacks can occur seasonally and are characterized by fever, soar throat, runny nose and malaise. It is usually not associated with mortality but complications resulting in deaths among the elderly, infirm and children have been reported. The “Spanish flu” of the 1918 is known to have caused the highest number of deaths, with about 20-50 million deaths globally from all age-groups.
The recent H1N1 pandemic caused a number of deaths worldwide including Malaysia. Until 10th June 2010, more than 14,987 cases have been reported since the breakout of the pandemic in April 2009 with 88 reported deaths. This year alone there have been 51 reported cases of H1N1 throughout Malaysia. Oselamivir (Tamiflu®) and Zanamivir (Relenza®) are the mainstay of therapy against the disease. However, oseltamivir resistant cases have been reported.
Our research is employing interdisciplinary approach to the disease, with the main goal of discovering new neuraminidase inhibitors by using computational chemistry techniques, natural product screening and chemical synthesis, and also to develop assays for validating the discovery of the neuraminidase inhibitors which is hoped to be able to overcome the rapid emergence of resistance towards current available therapy. Designing drugs according to Malaysian genetics would enable a more effective coverage against the local strain of flu and hence better treatment for Malaysians.
Schematic diagram of the influenza viral life cycle.
|
|
Dengue Fever (DF) is an acute fever caused by dengue virus which usually starts with symptom of sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, body aches, joint pains, nausea and vomiting. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) are two form of more serious dengue fever, with sign and symptoms of nose, mouth and gums bleeding, severe and continuous pain in abdomen, pale, cold skin, blood vomiting, restlessness and sleepiness. At present, there is no effective medicine to treat dengue and the current mainstay of treatment is only symptomatic. To date, this infectious disease has been endemic in more than 100 countries including the United States, Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and the Western-Pacific.
In Malaysia, in the first five months of 2010 about 40 deaths were reported. This has prompted the government to pay serious attention towards this infectious disease and also influence local scientist to do more research on the disease. In IPharm, through in-silico method, we are trying to search for potential new chemical entities from naturally occurring plants as potential agents which could later be developed as drugs to combat dengue in a more effective way.
Dengue Virus
|
|
Diabetes is not a single disease. Instead, it is a heterogeneous group of syndromes all characterized by an elevation of blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) caused by insulin deficiency, often combined with insulin resistance. There are two main types of diabetes mellitus, type I and type II diabetes mellitus. In type 1 diabetes, there is a total deficiency of insulin resulting from autoimmune damage of β-cells. Type II diabetes on the other hand is accompanied by both, insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion.
There have been many developments in the discovery and development of novel drugs to treat Type II diabetes mellitus, these drugs can be classified to:
1. enhancers of insulin release
2. enhancers of insulin action
3. inhibitors of hepatic glucose production
4. inhibitors of glucose absorption from the gut.
One of the current focuses in diabetes drugs development is the Peroxisome-Proliferator Activated Receptors γ (PPARγ). PPARγ was found to be able to enhance the action of insulin, and reduce the insulin resistance associated with Type II diabetes mellitus. The simulated drug design approach currently employed in IPharm is trying to investigate and design the potential inducers for this receptor which could be effective in enhancing the sensitivity of target tissue towards insulin and thus reducing blood glucose level.
|
|
1| 2 | 3 | 4 |
