Quantitative structure–activity relationship: promising advances in drug discovery platforms

Abstract

Introduction: Quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) modeling is one of the most popular computer-aided tools employed in medicinal chemistry for drug discovery and lead optimization. It is especially powerful in the absence of 3D structures of specific drug targets. QSAR methods have been shown to draw public attention since they were first introduced.

Areas covered: In this review, the authors provide a brief discussion of the basic principles of QSAR, model development and model validation. They also highlight the current applications of QSAR in different fields, particularly in virtual screening, rational drug design and multi-target QSAR. Finally, in view of recent controversies, the authors detail the challenges faced by QSAR modeling and the relevant solutions. The aim of this review is to show how QSAR modeling can be applied in novel drug discovery, design and lead optimization.

Expert opinion: QSAR should intentionally be used as a powerful tool for fragment-based drug design platforms in the field of drug discovery and design. Although there have been an increasing number of experimentally determined protein structures in recent years, a great number of protein structures cannot be easily obtained (i.e., membrane transport proteins and G-protein coupled receptors). Fragment-based drug discovery, such as QSAR, could be applied further and have a significant role in dealing with these problems. Moreover, along with the development of computer software and hardware, it is believed that QSAR will be increasingly important.

Keywords:

• comparative molecular field analysis
• comparative molecular similarity indices analysis
• machine learning
• quantitative structure–activity relationship
• rational design
• virtual screening

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Boston Professional Group Editing for their language polishing.

Declaration of interest

The authors thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 21376215), the National Science and Technology Major Project of New Drug, China (No. 2012ZX09103101-075), the Industry–University–Research Institution Alliance for Microbial Medicine Technology Innovation and New Drug Development, China (No. 2010ZX090401-403), the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (No. 2011CB710803), the National High-Tech Research and Development Program of China (2012AA022302) and the Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province (2014C33174) for their financial support. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Notes

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