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Chorus is a small, operationally independent organization within Eli Lilly and Company that specializes in drug development from candidate selection through to clinical proof of concept. Here, we describe its development philosophy, organizational structure, operational model and results in the decade since it was established, which indicate substantial productivity improvements in both time and cost compared to traditional drug development approaches.
Pangalos and colleagues discuss the results of a comprehensive longitudinal review of AstraZeneca's small-molecule drug projects from 2005 to 2010. They present a framework to guide research and development teams based on the five most important technical determinants of project success and pipeline quality: the right target, the right patient, the right tissue, the right safety and the right commercial potential. A sixth factor — the right culture — is also crucial in encouraging effective decision-making.
