UT Dallas and Novartis Are Using Math to Speed Drug Discoveries

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. have devised a computer-based platform for drug discovery that could make the process more effective, more efficient and less costly.

“The drug-discovery process can take 10 to 15 years and cost a billion dollars,” Coskunuzer said. “Drug companies want a more cost-effective way to do this. They want to find the most promising compounds at the beginning of the process so they’re not wasting time testing dead ends.

“We have provided a completely new method of virtual screening that is computationally efficient and ranks compounds based on how likely they are to work.”