The consequences of consuming synthetic drugs (chemicals) are aplenty. The instances of pharmacovigilance keep surfacing, and they tarnish brand value which has long-lasting impact for a pharmaceutical company. As a result, most players developing drugs for complex diseases have ventured into discovering biologics – an equivalent of the chemical drug derived from biological sources.
While a large number of these drugs are available in the market today are proving to be competent, the question of their stability remains a concern. For instance, aspirin, in its chemical form, has only 21 atoms. While some the large biologics comprise more than 1,300 amino acids. They are sometimes as heavy as 150,000 g/mol. The bulky nature and heavy weight of the drug describes the complexity in manufacturing biologics. Further, there is no shortcut available to bypass the manufacturing route, making production easy for companies.
Complex Molecules Impel Safety Concerns among Manufacturers
While size and weight are one concern, it is also important to understand that today’s drugs are no longer made of simple chemicals. They are essentially made of complex molecules like antibody-drug conjugates, globular proteins, and antibodies. As a result, the drugs are prone to reactions like oxidation, aggregation, hydrolysis, deamidation, and other degeneration processes.
Researchers say that to address these issues, it is important to understand the mechanisms of instability. Consequently, it will help pharmaceutical companies direct production process to produce stable compounds. This defines the need for scientists to understand the chemistry of molecules.
The Answer to Stability Lies in Fundamentals
Often, we hear that the answer to the complex questions lies in the basics. This holds true for the complex biologics too. A study says that it is important for scientists, engineers, and medical experts to understand the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the drug to develop processes and tackle problems.
