A
Agonist
A substance that binds to a receptor and activates it.
Antagonist
A substance that binds to a receptor and blocks it
Antibody
Protein that is formed in the body, recognizes foreign proteins, binds to them and eliminates them or the microorganism they are a constituent of.
API
Active pharmaceutical ingredient. The substance in a finished drug that has a pharmacological effect.
Autoimmune
The immune system attacks wrongly the body’s own proteins.
B
Bioinformatics
Study of biological systems with the help of databases and software that analyze large quantities of data.
Blood platelets
Thrombocytes. Blood cells important for the blood clothing process.
BSSL
Bile salt stimulated lipase. An enzyme that digests fat.
C
Cardio-vascular
Refers to the circulation system – heart and blood vessels.
CD
Candidate drug. A chemical compound that has shown good drug activity in model systems and that has not yet been tested in humans.
Chemotherapy
Treatment of cancer with cytotoxic or cytostatic compounds.
CINV
Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting.
Clinical trials
Investigation of the effects of a pharmaceutical compound in humans. Is divided into three phases: phase I refers to limited studies of the compound in healthy volunteers, phase II refers to studies in smaller and phase III in larger groups of patients.
CMO
Contract manufacturing organization. Company that offers large-scale drug production on behalf of pharmaceutical companies.
Coagulation
The clothing of blood.
Cortisol
A signaling molecule produced during stress and affecting glucose and lipid metabolism.
CRO
Contract research organization. A company that specializes in conducting clinical trials on behalf of other pharmaceutical companies.
Cystic fibrosis
An inherited disease characterized by a malfunction in the mucus producing glands in the body. They produce a too viscous mucus that affects primarily lungs and stomach with breathing difficulties, lung infections and impairments of food digestion as a result.
Cytokine
Biological signaling substance in the inflammatory system.
E
Enzyme
A protein that enables rapid chemical reactions in the body.
Epithelial cell
A type of cell that surrounds and protects organs in the body.
F
Fed-batch technology
Method for continuous cultivation of cells for protein production.
FP
Finished product. A drug in its final form.
G
Glaucoma
An eye disease characterized by a gradual loss of sight that may lead to blindness.
Glucose
A simple sugar that is formed as a result of food digestion. Patients with diabetes have a reduced ability to make use of glucose and therefore often have elevated levels of glucose in the blood.
GMP
Good manufacturing practice. A standardized set of routines for safe drug production.
H
HDN
Hemolytic disease of the newborn. A condition appearing in the newborn child due to a situation where the mother has developed antibodies against the Rhesus-D factor.
Hematology
The subject of the constituents, structure and function of the blood.
Hemolysis
Destruction of red blood cells, erythrocytes.
Hemophilia A
Bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in coagulation factor VIII.
Hemophilia B
Bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in coagulation factor IX.
HIT II
Heparin induced thrombosis. Thrombosis caused by a immune reaction to the pharmaceutical heparin.
Host cell
Cell used as a host for an artificially introduced DNA molecule, which in turn controls the production of a particular protein.
HTS
High throughput screening. A method to test the effect of a large number of compounds on a target protein. An HTS facility can test thousands of different substances a day.
I
In vitro
A biological experiment performed in a test tube, culture dish or the like.
In vivo
An experiment or a test of a compound in an experimental animal.
In-licensing
When a company buys a project or a compound for further development.
Interferon
A naturally occurring protein that is important to the immune system.
Interleukin 1
An inflammatory signaling substance, a cytokine.
ITP
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura. A bleeding disorder caused by abnormally low levels of platelets in the blood depending on an autoimmune reaction.
K
Keratinocyte
Cell that participates in the formation of the outer layer of the skin.
L
Lead-generation
The process that leads to the selection of a single chemical compound, out of a large collection, for further development into a CD.
Lead-optimization
The process when the drug properties of a compound are improved by chemical modification.
Leptin
A hormone produced in adipose tissue and signaling to the brain.
Lipase
Enzyme that breaks down lipids. BSSL is such an enzyme.
M
Mammalian cell
Cell from a mammal, e.g. man.
Metabolism
The turnover, i.e., the break down and transformation of substances entering the body with food.
Microbial
Originating from microorganisms such as bacteria or blastomycetes.
Monoclonal antibody
An antibody that has been extracted from a homogeneous population of cells. Antibodies that have been extracted in this way recognize and bind specifically to only one protein.
N
Neuropathy
Disease with deletions in the nerves.
O
Oral
Via the mouth.
Orphan drugs
Drugs intended for the treatment of serious diseases with a prevalence of 5/10,000 individuals within EU or which without stimulating measures are unlikely to be developed since sales revenues would not generate sufficient return to motivate the costs for the necessary investments in research.
Out-licensing
A form of collaboration where another company takes over the development process for a candidate drug.
P
Parathyroid hormone
PTH. Regulates the calcium and phosphate levels in the body.
Peptides
Small proteins that often have an impact on cell signaling.
Perfusion
A method in which organs or cells are exposed to chemicals that are used in the production of proteins.
Pharmacodynamic properties
The effect a drug has on an organism, e.g. the human body.
Pharmacokinetic properties
The effect the body has on a drug, e.g. metabolism or secretion.
Pilot plant
A production facility for protein drugs used in clinical trials.
Polyclonal antibody
An antibody that has been extracted from a non-homogeneous population of cells. Antibodies that has been extracted in this way recognize and bind specifically to several protein.
Preclinical development
The phase of drug development that precedes the clinical phase. Includes among other things lead-generation, lead-optimization and selection of CD.
Primary care pharmaceuticals
Products directed toward major common diseases, are used by very large groups of patients, and are prescribed by general practitioners.
Proof of Concept (PoC)
Proof that a chemical compound really has the sought drug effect. Is tested on a smaller set of patients.
Proof of Principle (PoP)
Proof that a chemical compound really has the sought drug effect in a model for the true disease. Can be tested in experimental animals or in patients.
Prostaglandin
An endogenous local hormone functionally important in the control of inflammation.
Protein pharmaceutical
Drug in the form of a protein, e.g., antibodies. Unlike small molecule drugs, protein drugs are usually not taken as pills but must be given as injections.
Proteomics
Study of the proteome, all the proteins produced by an organism. Man has hundreds of thousands of proteins. Identifying individual proteins requires special technology, such as 2D gel chromatography or mass spectrometry.
R
R&D
Research and development.
Receptor
A protein that binds a chemical signal substance (e.g., hormone, growth factor, neurotransmitter) and thereby starts a specific biochemical reaction in the cell.
Recombinant
Artificially genetically modified.
Rhesus D factor
A protein factor that is present in most humans and is used in the system for determination of blood groups.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Chronic inflammation of the joints.
S
Selectivity
Ability to discriminate between different target proteins.
Serotonergic receptors
A membrane protein that recognizes serotonin (5-HT).
SHPT
A state of disease that occurs when parathyroid hormone is overproduced in connection to dialysis treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease.
Signal substance/molecule
Substance in the body that transports information between different cells or organs. In the brain there are many types of signal molecules that carry signals between nerve cells.
Small molecules
Compounds that consist of up to about a hundred atoms and that can be chemically synthesized; medicines in tablet form belong to this type.
Specialist pharmaceuticals
Drugs directed towards small patient groups, and that are primarily prescribed by a relatively small number of specialists.
T
Target protein
A functional protein in the body towards which a drug is directed to bring about a medically positive effect. Examples of target proteins are enzymes and receptors.
Thrombin
A protein that participates in the coagulation cascade.
Thrombosis
Unscheduled blood clothing inside a blood vessel.
TNF-α
Tumor necrosis factor alpha. An inflammatory signal substance, a cytokine.
Toxicology
The study of poisonous effects of chemical compounds on organisms.
Trabecular network
A system in the eye through which a surplus of aqueous humor is drained.
Triglycerides
Fat