Contributions of molecular biology to antipsychotic drug discovery: Promises fulfilled or unfulfilled?

Abstract

This review summarizes the various conceptual paradigms for treating schizophrenia, and indicates how molecular biology and drug discovery technologies can accelerate the development of new medications. As yet, there is no convincing data that a crucial druggable molecular target exists which, if targeted, would yield medications with efficacies greater than any currently available. It is suggested, instead, that drugs which interact with a multiplicity of molecular targets are likely to show greater efficacy in treating the core symptoms of schizophrenia. © 2006, LLS SAS.