Every now and then I’ll read that drug X was originally created searching for a cure to disease A, but then they find out its a cure for B instead. How do scientists set out to design a chemical that does specific things? And is it just by chance they discover that it helps with, say, erectile dysfunction and market it that way? Especially when the addition of one atom can seemingly vastly change molecule properties.
In: Chemistry
A lot of times they are throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks.
The way a drug works is that compounds in the drugs bond with or block other things in the body from bonding with cells in your body. For example pain medications work by blocking pain receptors in your brain from bonding with the chemical pain signals coming from your body.
So a company sets out by trying different compounds and seeing how they interact with the body. They usually have a head start, knowing that certain groups of compounds already do X y z. And then from there they just see what combos and potencies work and what side effects they might cause.
They set out to design a drug to treat A, and in the process of experimentation they notice a stronger side effect. Sometimes that side effect is bad, so they try to engineer it out. Other times the side effect is a positive but unintended one, so they try the hone in on what cause the side effect and see if they can enhance it or isolate it for use as a separate treatment.
For example, Viagra was initially developed to be a treatment for heart conditions. During trials, several male patients noted a particularly strong and firm side effect. The rest is history.
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