PM2DDD: Drug Design and Delivery

Module code: PM2DDD

Module provider: Pharmacy; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: James Hall, email: james.hall@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE PM2MDT (Compulsory)

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module takes the student through the journey of drug discovery, drug action, design of medicines and patient-centred care. The module looks at how chemical structure impacts on activity and on medicine stability. Drug design and discovery is discussed for both synthetic and biological drugs, including natural products. Students are taught about the safe handling of materials. Analytical science skills, initially introduced in Part 1, are developed further to introduce more advanced analytical methods and their use in drug discovery and quality control processes. Students will apply pharmacology knowledge and skills to address questions and solve pharmacological problems. Students will also develop knowledge and abilities on both theoretical and practical use of in vivo, ex-vivo and in vitro techniques using simulated and hand-on experimentation. Students will gain experience on the use of quantitative methods to collect, process, analyse and present the research findings and also report writing. Skills and knowledge developed here are essential to undertake practical and workshop exercises in later modules, including the Research Project.

This module aims to introduce students to important pharmaceutical science aspects of drug design, formulation, delivery and analysis. Students will consider molecular features and physicochemical concepts that affect the activity and stability of drugs, as well as pharmaceutical science methods of importance for assuring and controlling the quality of drugs as medicines. In vitro, ex vivo and in vivo approaches that are used within drug development will also be introduced and exemplified. Important pharmaceutical science and pharmacology concepts will be illustrated using selected drug examples for some disease states taught in Part 1 and 2. The module will also develop critical analysis, report writing and data analysis skills.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate how pharmaceutical science and pharmacology concepts are applied in the design and development of drugs and medicines, for example by considering case studies in the area of drug discovery
2. Apply a variety of pharmaceutical principles and analytical methods within the context of drug design and delivery
3. Demonstrate pharmaceutical calculation skills, for example with respect to formulation and pharmacokinetic studies
4. Critically evaluate and use appropriate resources for experimental design, planning, data analysis and interpretation, for example for data related to the characterisation (both chemical and pharmacological) of drugs
5. Demonstrate the ability to work successfully in a group environment to achieve shared goals and effectively communicate their own and others findings orally

Module content

• Introduction to the module: The roles of chemistry and pharmaceutical science within the context of the design of medicines
• Physicochemical concepts underpinning drug design and formulation, to include discussions of solubility, pKa, binding interactions, log P and desirable physicochemical features of drugs
• An introduction to drug discovery approaches covering ‘me-too’ compounds, screening of natural products, emphasizing the difference between a single chemical entity (drug) of natural origin and a plant extract (herbal medicine) and its influence on therapeutic activity
• Pharmaceutical analysis methods, with a focus on ensuring the quality of drugs, for example with reference to pharmacopoeia resources
• The role of synthesis, combinatorial methods, high throughput screening, and molecular modelling/computational design for optimising properties of drugs
• An overview of the diversity of molecular structures that are used as pharmacological agents with reference to drugs and drug classes introduced in this and other Part 1 and 2 modules
• Formulation of drugs and routes of administration, with a focus on i) pharmaceutical materials and the use of excipients and polymers in medicine formulation, and ii) pharmacokinetic studies.
• Mode of Action at the Molecular Level: This will include a discussion of the mode of action of selected drugs as seen from the point of view of the medicinal chemist and the pharmacologist
•  Case studies in drug design and drug development to market: Using appropriate examples that link with drugs and drug classes discussed in this and other Part 1 and 2 modules
• Planning and designing pharmacological studies using both in vitro and in vivo approaches for drug discovery, the development of new medicines and treatments, and testing the safety of new medicines and treatments
• Carrying out laboratory procedures using in vitro or ex vivo approaches
• Critical analysis of relevant scientific literature

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching and learning methods are through lectures, tutorials/workshops, supervised time in group work, practical classes and directed private study. Practical classes associated with the module will reinforce fundamental concepts of pharmaceutical science and pharmacology that underpin drug design and delivery.

Supplementary information and reading lists will be provided by the lecturers and the available facilities for computer-aided literature searching for related material will enable students to improve independent-learning skills.

Study hours

At least 140 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessment is provided through small group tutorials/workshops, instructor-, self-, and peer-led assessment and feedback. Worked examples and case studies encountered in tutorials/workshops will provide the opportunity for formative feedback from staff and peers as well as self-reflection.

Reassessment

Additional costs