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
If you’re talking about how they discover a drug might be useful for something else then it’s just trial and error. They run a trial on a new heart medication and a lot of patients report an interesting side effect of having better sex. Someone then realizes that side effect could make them a LOT of money.
As for intentionally designing a drug in modern times, that’s done by computers. Most drugs work like a key going into a lock. Scientists use computers to model the shade of the lock and how hundreds of hypothetical keys will fit into it. Promising candidates then get lab tested and if they continue to look promising you can move to animal testing and then human testing.
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