Overview
Our Philosophy
The vision of the Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research is to do good science first. Only by weaving a consistent thread of scientific excellence through all its operations will Merck Frosst Canada produce excellent pharmaceutical agents.
This philosophy touches all aspects of the lives of its scientists. Researchers are supported by state-of-the-art technology. They are encouraged to be self-directed and critical, to take risks and to be persistent. Senior management ensures that a team spirit prevails and a supportive, informal environment is created where even the most junior researcher can actively participate in decision-making.
Scientists are encouraged to participate actively in the wider academic world by publishing papers, attending conferences, collaborating with external organizations and building their reputation as a scientist. Many hold adjunct professorships at Canadian universities. Over the past 5 years, Merck Frosst researchers published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
The Research Centre
The R&D personnel at Merck Frosst have more than doubled in numbers in the last decade. More than 225 researchers with advanced degrees now work for the company: chemists, biochemists, molecular biologists, medical researchers, pharmacologists, pharmacists and computer scientists.
The Research Centre has five major departments:
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Biochemistry / Molecular Biology
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Medicinal Chemistry
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Pharmacology
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Process Chemistry
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Pharmaceutical R&D
The research process
Research programs begin with an exploratory phase, sparked by an idea, a recent discovery, or a particular need. An initial hypothesis leads to exploratory compounds that run the gamut of a suite of assays, with biologists and chemists working in close collaboration. A process of optimization follows that narrows drug candidates to those with the required activity without undesirable effects. This process may take years and encompasses pharmacological and biochemical screening, toxicology and detailed pharmacological characterization. Successful candidate compounds go into chemical-process and dosage-form development before trials on humans begin.
Of the 10,000 compounds discovered, 20 will enter pre-clinical testing, 10 will enter phase I clinical testing, five enter phase II, two enter phase III and one will eventually make it to market.
Research programs
The R&D programs of the Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research are aimed at discovering novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, respiratory, inflammatory and other diseases.
A major focus of the laboratory has been on the inhibition of the biosynthesis of the arachidonic acid metabolites or the blockade of these metabolites at their receptors. These metabolites, which include leukotrienes and prostaglandins, are known to be important mediators of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and other allergic conditions, as well as inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
This line of research led to the development of the oral asthma medication, SINGULAIR® (montelukast sodium), a leukotriene D4 receptor antagonist that has now been approved in Canada for children as young as 6 years of age.
Another program developed out of the discovery by Merck Frosst scientists of a novel phosphatase, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP-1B), which holds potential for developing a new drug for endocrine disorders such as diabetes.
Work on respiratory diseases continues with research into inhibitors of phosphodiesterases, which are involved in the release of inflammatory mediators in diseases such as human bronchial asthma.
Another program at the Research Centre focuses on cathepsin K proteases, an important therapeutic target in bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Work also continues on therapeutic approaches to inflammatory diseases, building on prostaglandin expertise gained during the development of other drugs to bring new hope in other areas of pain relief.
The Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research is already at the forefront of rapidly advancing area of gene expression technology. In the coming years we will continue to invest heavily in bioinformatics and other research information technologies to extract maximum value from the resulting flood of information—value for Merck Frosst, and the patients that we hope to treat.
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