Thisreviewstartswithabriefhistoryofdrugdiscovery&development,andtheplaceofAsiainthisworldwideeffortdiscussed.TheconditionsandconstraintsofasuccessfultranslationalR&DinvolvingacademicbasicresearchandclinicalresearcharediscussedandtheSingaporemodelforpursuitofopenR&Ddescribed.Theimportanceofwell-characterized,validateddrugtargetsforthesearchfornoveltargetedanti-canceragentsisemphasized,aswellasastructured,highqualitytranslationalR&D.Furthermore,thecharacteristicsofanattractivepreclinicaldevelopmentdrugcandidatearediscussedlayingthefoundationofasuccessfulpreclinicaldevelopment.Themostfrequentsourcesoffailuresaredescribedandriskmanagementateverystageishighlyrecommended.Organizationalfactorsarealsoconsideredtoplayanimportantrole.Thefactorstoconsiderbeforestartinganewdrugdiscovery&developmentprojectaredescribed,andanexampleisgivenofasuccessfulclinicalprojectthathashaditsrootsinlocaluniversitiesandwascarriedthroughpreclinicaldevelopmentintophaseIclinicaltrials.
