Table of contents
December 2006 Vol 5 No 12
In the issue
p973 | doi:10.1038/nrd2210
Editorial: What's in a number?
p975 | doi:10.1038/nrd2205
News and Analysis
Pipeline problems are increasing the urge to merge | PDF (361 KB)
p977 | doi:10.1038/nrd2206
In brief
News in brief | PDF (280 KB)
p980 | doi:10.1038/nrd2208
Patent watch
Abbott loses anaesthetic drug patent | GSK settles on Imitrex | Targeting Wnt and Hedgehog | PDF (180 KB)
p982 | doi:10.1038/nrd2207
Career path: Andrea Pfeifer | PDF (135 KB)
p984 | doi:10.1038/nrd2209
From the analyst's couch
Avoiding premature licensing | PDF (621 KB)
p985 | doi:10.1038/nrd2203
Fresh from the Pipeline
Panitumumab | PDF (179 KB)
p987 | doi:10.1038/nrd2204
Research Highlights
Neurological disorders: Food for thought | PDF (207 KB)
p989 | doi:10.1038/nrd2211
Viral infections: Waking up the immune system | PDF (332 KB)
p990 | doi:10.1038/nrd2212
Asthma and allergy: Targeting lung DCs to treat asthma | PDF (332 KB)
p990 | doi:10.1038/nrd2215
Leukaemia: Getting to the root of relapse | PDF (286 KB)
p991 | doi:10.1038/nrd2214
Lead discovery: Bits and pieces | PDF (173 KB)
p992 | doi:10.1038/nrd2213
In brief
Gene therapy | Diabetes | Antibacterial drugs | Cancer | PDF (174 KB)
p992 | doi:10.1038/nrd2216
Focus on: Molecular pharmacopoeia
Perspective
Opinion
How many drug targets are there?
John P. Overington, Bissan Al-Lazikani & Andrew L. Hopkins
p993 | doi:10.1038/nrd2199
For the past decade, the number of molecular targets for approved drugs has been debated. In this article and the accompanying poster, Overington and colleagues provide a comprehensive survey of current drug targets and a wealth of associated information on the characteristics of target families and the drugs that modulate them.
Reviews
Mining the Wnt pathway for cancer therapeutics
Nick Barker & Hans Clevers
p997 | doi:10.1038/nrd2154
The Wnt signalling pathway has a central role in tissue development and tissue maintenance, but is frequently dysregulated in several types of cancer, particularly those of the digestive tract. Here, Barker and Clevers examine the recent progress in the development of Wnt inhibitors as anticancer drugs.
Antiviral agents active against influenza A viruses
Erik De Clercq
p1015 | doi:10.1038/nrd2175
There are currently serious concerns about the control measures that should be taken if a pandemic of influenza A were to strike. De Clercq discusses the therapeutic potential of agents that have been shown to be active against influenza A viruses, and describes emerging strategies for targeting these viruses.
Targeting the Hedgehog pathway in cancer
Lee L. Rubin & Frederic J. de Sauvage
p1026 | doi:10.1038/nrd2086
The hedgehog signalling pathway is abnormally activated in most basal cell carcinomas, in one-third or more medulloblastomas, and has been implicated in several other types of cancer. Rubin and de Sauvage discuss the therapeutic opportunities presented by recent insights into this pathway, and the compounds currently in development.
Innovative approaches to anti-arrhythmic drug therapy
Stanley Nattel & Leif Carlsson
p1034 | doi:10.1038/nrd2112
Recent developments in the understanding of the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias have opened up unprecedented opportunities for drug development. Here, Nattel and Carlsson review emerging findings in the development of new types of anti-arrhythmic compounds targeting two particularly important cardiac arrhythmias: atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation.
