Fludalanine: Nice Try But No Hallelujah

The document recounted the story of fludalanine, a failed drug discovery effort by Merck to develop an effective orally active antibiotic. Despite the potential benefits of such a drug, the project faced numerous challenges typical in drug development, such as target selection, screening, molecular design, and medicinal chemistry. The narrative highlighted the complexities and frequent failures in drug discovery, contrasting with previous success stories like finasteride and statins. The tale of fludalanine served as a learning opportunity about problem-solving in pharmaceutical research, emphasizing the difficulties Merck encountered in achieving their goal.