1. How can one utilise biopharmaceutical drug discovery and development to enhance potency of drugs? [5]

Target Identification: Biopharmaceutical drug discovery begins with the identification of a biological target that plays a key role in the disease process. This could be a protein, a gene, or a specific cell type. By understanding the role of this target in the disease, scientists can design drugs to interact with it in a way that will alter the disease process, enhancing the potency of the drug.

Drug Design: Once the target has been identified, the next step is to design a drug that can interact with it effectively. This involves understanding the structure of the target and how it functions at a molecular level. Biopharmaceutical techniques such as computational biology and structural biology can be used to create a model of the target, which can then be used to design a drug that will fit into it like a key into a lock.

Preclinical Testing: The drug is then tested in the lab and in animal models to see if it has the desired effect on the target and to check for any potential side effects. This stage also involves optimizing the drug to enhance its potency, for example by modifying its structure to make it bind more tightly to the target.

Clinical Trials: If the drug passes preclinical testing, it moves on to clinical trials in humans. These trials are designed to test the safety and efficacy of the drug, and to determine the optimal dose. The data from these trials can be used to further refine the drug and enhance its potency.

Post-Marketing Surveillance: Even after a drug has been approved and is on the market, biopharmaceutical companies continue to monitor its performance. This can provide valuable information that can be used to further enhance the potency of the drug, for example by identifying new targets or by refining the drug design based on real-world data.