ABSTRACT
This annual article presents new drugs and biologics that were launched or approved for the first time during the previous year. In 2007, 30 new medicines--this figure includes both drugs and biologics for therapeutic use as well as new diagnostic agents--reached their first markets. Drug repositioning continues to have a significant impact, with line extensions (new indications, new formulations and new combinations of previously marketed products) accounting for 45% of the new medicines launched in 2007. Several new features were introduced last year, and have been maintained due to a high level of interest from readers: a deeper insight into the three first-in-class drugs launched for the first time last year, providing a better understanding of their novel mechanisms of action; an analysis of the discovery and development periods for the year's new products; a comprehensive overview of drug repositioning as a strategy for extending the life span of medicines; and an analysis of the market for these new medicines. We also provide a brief glimpse at selected drugs and biologics which could reach their first markets in the foreseeable future.
Subject(s)
Biological Products , Drug Approval , Pharmaceutical Preparations , Drug Industry/economics , Drug Industry/trends , Humans , Pharmacology/trendsABSTRACT
X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been carried out on the copper K edge in oxidized and reduced bovine Cu,Zn SOD in solution and in crystalline state. The results indicate that the copper coordination geometry is unaffected by the solution or by the crystalline state of the protein, in both oxidation states. Moreover the two oxidation states of the active copper ion are reflected under, all the experimental conditions, by distinct coordination spheres around the catalytic metal, which is four-coordinated and three-coordinated in the Cu(II) and in the Cu(I) enzyme, respectively.
