Brought to you by the South Ural State University
In just a short period, the research team of the SUSU Laboratory has conducted modeling of more than 50 types of biological activity of many medical preparations. For example, a forecast of two anti-tumor drug products, which were tested at the State University of Milan (Italy), was produced. The research showed that preparations which underwent modeling in the SUSU Laboratory have 10 times higher efficiency than their initial efficiency. Anti-inflammatory preparations tested at the Aristotle University (Thessaloniki, Greece) also showed 2-5 times higher activity.
"The uniqueness of the scientific laboratory is in the fact that we perform the entire cycle of modeling of medications, their calculated characteristics, and their interrelations with biological activity (toxicity, metabolic properties, allergenic capacity) with ferments etc. in an integrated manner with the use of unique software," explains Director of the SUSU Laboratory for Computer Modeling of Medicinal Products Vladimir Potemkin.
"The Laboratory operates by considering the multi-stage and multi-task character of action of a medication as opposed to the world’s pharmaceutical companies where only one stage of the "receptor – medicinal preparation" complex formation is under research. In fact, this stage does not guarantee that a medication will work, just like it doesn’t guarantee that the medication will reach its target."
According to Vladimir Potemkin, in a good medication everything should be in harmony – the transport functions, penetration into a cell, and interaction with a ferment. If at least one of the previously mentioned stages is missing, the interaction of preparation with ferment won’t happen which means there won’t be the required therapeutic effect:
The common global problem of the pharmaceutical industry is high toxicity and allergic capacity of even high quality medicinal preparations. The elimination of undesired biologic activity and side effects of vitally necessary medicinal preparations while preserving their target biological activity has become one of the most topical issues at the Drug Discovery and Therapy World Congress in Boston (USA). The participation of South Ural scientists, with a stunning report at the international scientific event, generated genuine interest from their international colleagues.
READ MORE: Russian Medics Successfully Developing 'Alternative to Traditional Antibiotics'
At present, the research team of the SUSU Laboratory for Computer Modeling of Medicinal Products is continuing its active research work in Russia and abroad: applications are submitted for the international grant "Research, intellectual analysis and design of potential anti-neurodegenerative means" (the Helmholtz Association, Leipzig, Germany), which is aimed to ease the destiny of those who suffer from Parkinson or Alzheimer diseases. An application was submitted for a mega grant on the subject "Systems for intelligent analysis of big databases for searching and designing new perspective medications" (the Helmholtz Association, Munich, Germany).
"If we win the mega grant, our research will be devoted to anti-tuberculosis preparations," says Vladimir Potemkin. Despite the fact that in many developed countries there is not a serious problem with tuberculosis, the topic of anti-tuberculosis activity is relevant for them as well, because there is the most important problem of the AIDS. It is well known that nobody dies from the AIDS itself, people die from complications caused by immunodeficiency, and in particular tuberculosis is a frequent complication. The problem of tuberculosis is of an international character."
Vladimir Potemkin is planning to evolve the Laboratory into a powerful research center with excellent specialists and high-tech equipment which will help solving global problems of the world’s pharmaceutical science in the future, and may be help conducting personal experimental research of innovative medications in Russia.
