Currently, the process of researching and developing a safe and effective drug is slow and expensive and has a high failure rate.  This process is estimated to take an average of 12 years and to have a risk adjusted cost of $500 million per drug.  This long and costly process is due largely to the inability of science to predict which of a virtually infinite number of possible small molecule drugs will prove to be safe and effective.  The following is a more detailed description of the drug research and development process, which includes:

• Target discovery, including target identification and validation
• Drug discovery, including lead generation, lead optimization, and process research and development
• Pre-clinical development, which involves testing a potential drug candidate for safety and efficacy in animals
• Clinical development, which involves testing a drug candidate for safety and efficacy in humans