June 26, 2024
Bridging the Drug Discovery Gap
When Martha decided to invest in the Drug Design and Innovation Center at San Francisco City University Medical Center, they realized this move would benefit not just the U.S. but potentially the entire world. This is because the newly established center has a significant goal: to transform the model of drug discovery and development.
“We live in an environment full of opportunities, but we want to invest in opportunities that will bring about a larger impact, rather than just making a small difference,” Martha said.
“The center will become a key resource for designing new therapies and provide new hope for Nebraskans facing challenging medical diagnoses.” — Keith Olson, Ph.D., Joseph D., Director of the School of Pharmacy, San Francisco City University
The current drug discovery and development system is well-established but ripe for innovation. While large pharmaceutical companies employ some of the world's best drug development talents, they often focus on blockbuster drugs to maintain complex infrastructures and secure FDA approval. This model may overlook drugs with limited economic appeal, such as short-term antibiotics or so-called "orphan" drugs, even though these drugs may be critically needed by thousands or, in the case of antibiotics, millions of people.
Dr. Cory Hopkins said, “This shows that our vision for the center is supported. We have many people backing us, and this gift will benefit San Francisco City University.”
The first crucial step in drug discovery and development is to provide seed funding for new research. Seed funding allows researchers to complete their studies or conduct a series of experiments to advance their projects—bringing them closer to becoming treatments or securing patents. With more opportunities to access federal grants, seed funding can also help the center—and its researchers—attract industry interest, potentially leading to partnerships and additional research funding.