Literature Case Studies in Drug Discovery from edX

In this course about drug discovery case studies, students will read five different Drug Annotations articles. Each article will require approximately two hours to read thoroughly and fully process. Including assessment questions based on the articles, the full course should require no more than 15 hours of effort.

Students in the course should understand lead selection, lead optimization, pharmacodynamics, drug activity, pharmacokinetics, and preclinical safety. A fundamental understanding of the structure of organic molecules and their functional groups is also required. The course has no structure beyond having a module for each case study article. A handful of 10-15-minute videos with discussions of other Drug Annotation articles are provided for reference. Each module provides a link to the open access article on the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry website.

Students signed up for the Audit Track have access to the links to the case studies and the sample Drug Annotation article videos. Students enrolled through the Verified Track also have access to assessment questions.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Students will learn about several drug programs in the pharmaceutical industry…
Azd4831 – a compound that reduces incidence of heart failure
Mrtx0902 – a compound with anti-tumor activity

Pritelivir – a compound that treats herpes simplex virus infections
Reldesemitiv -a compound that treats impaired muscle function
Sebetralstat – a compound that treats hereditary angioedema

Students will learn about several drug programs in the pharmaceutical industry…
Azd4831 – a compound that reduces incidence of heart failure
Mrtx0902 – a compound with anti-tumor activity
Pritelivir – a compound that treats herpes simplex virus infections
Reldesemitiv -a compound that treats impaired muscle function
Sebetralstat – a compound that treats hereditary angioedema

Syllabus

case study 1: Discovery of AZD4831, a mechanism-based irreversible inhibitor of myeloperoxidase, as a potential treatment for heart failure with preserved ejection fractioncase study 2: Design and discovery of MRTX0902, a potent, selective, brain-penetrant, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of the SOS1:KRAS protein−protein interactioncase study 3: Discovery, chemistry, and preclinical development of pritelivir, a novel treatment option for acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus infectionscase study 4: Discovery of reldesemtiv, a fast skeletal muscle troponin activator for the treatment of impaired muscle functioncase study 5: Sebetralstat (KVD900): a potent and selective small molecule plasma kallikrein inhibitor featuring a novel P1 group as a potential oral on-demand treatment for hereditary angioedema

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Taught by instructors with extensive experience in pharmaceutical drug discovery

Examines real-world drug discovery case studies across a range of therapeutic areas, including heart failure, cancer, herpes simplex virus, muscle function, and hereditary angioedema

Develops core knowledge and skills in drug discovery, including lead selection, lead optimization, pharmacodynamics, drug activity, pharmacokinetics, and preclinical safety

Assessed through short answer questions based on case study readings

Requires a fundamental understanding of organic molecules and their functional groups

Has no formal structure beyond modular case study articles

Career center

Learners who complete Literature Case Studies in Drug Discovery will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Medicinal Chemist

Medicinal Chemists work to design, create, and test new drugs to address a variety of diseases. This course may be useful by providing a deep understanding of the process of drug discovery and case studies of 5 different drugs brought to market.

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Biochemist

Biochemists study the chemical processes that occur in living organisms. This course may be useful in helping build a foundation towards the study of biochemistry. The course provides an understanding of the structure of organic molecules and their functional groups, which is essential for understanding biochemistry.

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Pharmacist

Pharmacists play a vital role in the healthcare system, ensuring that medications are used safely and effectively. This course, in conjunction with appropriate coursework in pharmacy, may be useful for understanding the drug discovery process and how drugs are brought to market.

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Biostatistician

Biostatisticians apply statistical methods to data in the life sciences to improve human health. An understanding of drug discovery case studies may be useful, as they can help biostatisticians better understand the application of statistics to drug development.

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Clinical Research Associate

Clinical Research Associates play a critical role in the drug development process, ensuring that clinical trials are conducted safely and ethically. This course may be useful in helping build a foundation for understanding the drug development process and the role of clinical research.

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Chemical Engineer

Chemical Engineers design, construct, and operate chemical plants and other industrial processes. This course may be useful in helping build a foundation towards studying chemical engineering. The course provides an understanding of the structure of organic molecules and their functional groups, which is essential for understanding chemical engineering.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve problems and make predictions. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the application of data science to drug discovery.

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Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists investigate the causes of disease and other health problems in populations. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the application of epidemiology to drug discovery.

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Health Policy Analyst

Health Policy Analysts develop and analyze policies that affect the health of populations. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the application of health policy to drug discovery.

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Medical Writer

Medical Writers create and edit written materials about medical and health-related topics. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the drug development process and the role of medical writing.

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Nurse

Nurses provide care to patients in a variety of settings. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the drug development process and the role of nurses in administering medications.

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Patent Attorney

Patent Attorneys help clients obtain and protect patents for their inventions. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the drug development process and the role of patents in protecting intellectual property.

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Physician

Physicians diagnose and treat diseases and injuries. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the drug development process and the role of physicians in prescribing medications.

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Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development, launch, and marketing of products. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the drug development process and the role of product managers in bringing new drugs to market.

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Regulatory Affairs Specialist

Regulatory Affairs Specialists ensure that drugs and medical devices meet regulatory requirements. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in understanding the drug development process and the role of regulatory affairs in bringing new drugs to market.

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