The development of COX2 inhibitors

RJ Flower - Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2003 - nature.com
RJ Flower
Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2003nature.com
Aspirin, arguably the world's favourite drug, has been around since the late nineteenth
century, but it wasn't until the late 1970s that its ability to inhibit prostaglandin production by
the cyclooxygenase enzyme was identified as the basis of its therapeutic action. Early hints
of a second form of the cyclooxygenase that was differentially sensitive to other aspirin-like
drugs ultimately ushered in an exciting era of drug discovery, culminating in the introduction
of an entirely new generation of anti-inflammatories. This article reviews the story of this …
Abstract
Aspirin, arguably the world's favourite drug, has been around since the late nineteenth century, but it wasn't until the late 1970s that its ability to inhibit prostaglandin production by the cyclooxygenase enzyme was identified as the basis of its therapeutic action. Early hints of a second form of the cyclooxygenase that was differentially sensitive to other aspirin-like drugs ultimately ushered in an exciting era of drug discovery, culminating in the introduction of an entirely new generation of anti-inflammatories. This article reviews the story of this discovery and looks at the future of cyclooxygenase pharmacology.
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