UNAIR NEWS– Prof.Dr.Suko Hardjono, MS, Apt., the 22nd Professor of Faculty of Pharmacy 51动漫, on Thursday, December 28, presented a scientific oration entitled “The Role of Medicinal Chemistry in the Development of Anticancer Drugs”.In pharmaceutical science, medicinal chemistry as a branch of chemistry and biology, explains the mechanism of drug action.
Medicinal chemistry works for drug development, creating new drugs with better activity, minimal side effects, more directed work, and longer effectiveness.
The focus of Prof. Suko in this study is for the development of anti-cancer drugs.Because, at the moment, cancer is the fifth cause of death in Indonesia.In developing anti-cancer drugs, Prof. Suko conducts several steps.First, finding the parent compound by selecting the target of the disease and its medicine and then developing the drug by confirming the activity-structure relationship, confirming the pharmacofor group, improving the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.Only then the drug can be developed.
“The development of drugs is done by patenting the drug compounds obtained, conducting preclinical testing, designing manufacturing processes, conducting clinical trials, registering and marketing new drugs,” said Prof.Suko.
The 21st active professor of Faculty of Pharmacy, with researchers at the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, FF UNAIR has been developing drugs through the modification of the parent compound structure.Drugs developed are anti-cancer drugs as cancer is one of the main causes of death.
“Indonesia can improve the role of medical chemistry in drug development because it has many advantages.One of them is the abundance of active compounds or parent compounds can be obtained from nature, semi synthesis and synthesis, “added Prof.Suko.
Based on Prof. Suko’s experience in the field, there are setbacks found in Indonesia related to the development of medicinal chemistry.Therefore, Prof.Suko proposed some ideas.First, medicinal chemistry should be taught and instilled in pharmacy higher education.Second, to support the research of drug development in universities, excellent synthesis equipments are needed, the latestin silicoprogramand sophisticated chemical analysis equipment.
Third, Prof.Suko added that the government should simplify licensing and lower the costs to obtain the necessary chemicals.Finally, the government should strengthen the domestic chemical industry, to reduce dependence on imports.
“I hope we will have more advanced drug development research.And medicinal chemistry lessons will develop well.This is a new science.It should be taught to the next generation, “said Prof.Suko.(*)
Author: Binti Q. Masruroh
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
