Attrition in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Reasons, Implications, and Pathways Forward

Compound attrition in drug discovery and development is one of the major challenges the pharmaceutical industry has faced over the last two decades, with an insufficient number of revenue–generating new drugs in recent years leading to misaligned investments in research and development. Additionally, the value of existing data and knowledge has been neglected leading to insufficient learning from drug programs and inevitable repeat of poor results. A further reluctance to utilize new technologies, like advances in IT and data management, has led to many companies being unable to convert data archives into useful knowledge to improve productivity.

Arising from the need to meet these problems, Attrition in the Pharmaceutical Industry tackles the problem of drug compound attrition, which adds billions of dollars to drug development programs and health care costs. With a focus on case studies of R&D programs in a variety of disease areas, the book highlights fundamental productivity issues the pharmaceutical industry has been facing and explores potential ways of improving research effectiveness and efficiency, providing valuable strategies and guidance for decision makers across drug development.

Written by contributing authors on the frontlines of the drug research and development community, this book offers a number of key benefits that include:

 A comprehensive and holistic approach to the problems and potential solutions to drug compound attrition
 Guidance for discovery and development scientists through R&D stages, teaching requirements and reasons why drugs can fail
 Discussion of potential ways forward utilizing new approaches and opportunities to reduce attrition

Alexander Alex, Dr. rer. nat., is director of Evenor Consulting and has over 20 years experience as consultant and as director and research fellow in drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry.

C. John Harris, PhD, is the director of cjh Consultants and has a successful track record in drug discovery, research management, small company fund–raising and start–ups.

Dennis A. Smith, PhD, is an independent consultant with a long track record in drug discovery and development with an emphasis on metabolism and safety. He has published four books, including Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism in Drug Design (1st and 2nd editions) and Reactive Drug Metabolites published by Wiley.