Abstract

In recent years there has been increasing evidence of the importance of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates in biomedical applications, and the use of synthetic ligands based on carbohydrates as drugs has received much attention. Focussing on drug discovery from key targets and placing an emphasis on the multi-disciplinary approaches necessary to challenge these issues, this book comprehensively covers the new and recent discoveries in the area of carbohydrate drug discovery.

Carbohydrates in Drug Design and Discovery is split into five sections, beginning with a introduction and perspective on the current market. The book then goes on to discuss new synthetic methods in glycobiology, the use of glycobiology in chemical biology and glycobiology in drug discovery.

Providing a worldwide perspective on this broad area, and providing examples of therapeutics already developed using these methods, this book provides a comprehensive introduction, discussion and update on this fast developing field for medicinal chemists and biochemists working in industry and academia.

gives a nice overview of the relevance of carbohydrates in the inspiration process for drug design and development.

Overall, this book presents an interesting set of examples (although not exhaustive) of the new frontiers opened by carbohydrates in medicinal chemistry, with a special focus on anticancer and antibacterial agents. It is a useful resource for medicinal chemists, as well as for experts in the field of carbohydrate chemistry and biology who might want to have an updated perspective on new directions in the search for new carbohydrate-based therapeutics.