STEM CELLS: A CASE STUDY OF NOVEL INNOVATIONS TO ACCELERATE DRUG DISCOVERY

Pharmaceutical companies are facing increasing costs in their drug discovery programs. Poor mouse models and the lack of supply of patient-specific human tissue have inhibited progress in drug discovery for many diseases. However, recent innovations in pluripotent stem cell technology may be able to alleviate this bottleneck and thereby offer a major paradigm shift in the way pharmaceutical companies conduct drug discovery. This present review attempts to overview the general understanding of induced pluripotent stem cell biology and explores its possible application in drug discovery for Cystic Fibrosis.