• Question: What is the most important stage of drug synthesis and why is this the case?

    Asked by I'm subject to entropy and decay, why bother with a Nickname? to Aaron, David, Elaine, Sarah, Zoe on 13 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by franky.s.
    • Photo: Zoe Roberts

      Zoe Roberts answered on 13 Nov 2014:

      For the synthesis of the drug the purification step is most important. We need to make sure the final drug molecule that goes forward for testing and formulation is exactly what we say it is and in its purest form.
      The really important steps occur after the synthesis in the trials to see how effective this new potential drug is and what side effects it may have, if any.

      p.s. I like your nickname!

    • Photo: Sarah Ashwood

      Sarah Ashwood answered on 13 Nov 2014:

      In drug synthesis the most important point is being sure you’ve made exactly what you think you have made. You need to analyse the sample properly using whatever techniques available to be absolutely sure that you have made the bonds between all the atoms in the right places.
      Otherwise, if you take it forward to the next stage people will assume it is one thing and will work with that – and a large amount of money and resources will be wasted.

    • Photo: David Foley

      David Foley answered on 13 Nov 2014:

      Purification and characterisation as Zoe and Sarah have explained. Any monkey can put on loads of reactions – it takes a real chemist to get the pure products out from all of these

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