Modern Strategy for Preclinical Pharmaceutical R&D Towards the Virtual Research Company David Cavalla Arachnova Ltd, Cambridge, UK With contributions from: John Flack AMRAD Corporation, Richmond, Australia and Richard Jennings Wolfson Industrial Liaison Office, University of Cambridge, UK The twentieth century has been a great success for modern medicine, and has resulted in the generation of a plethora of drugs to treat most common illnesses. However, in the light of increasing regulatory demands, spiralling costs and diminishing commercial returns, the question of how, when, where and whether to conduct pharmaceutical R&D has profound implications, and not just for those within the pharmaceutical industry. Modern Strategy for Preclinical Pharmaceutical R&D gets to the heart of the debate that surrounds this topic and asks the questions: Can the economies of scale of large multinational pharmaceutical companies adequately compensate for the loss of creative individualism that is essential for the process of drug discovery and development? Might technological experts provide better services to a number of clients rather than work within a single large infrastructure where confidentiality is paramount and synergy of multi-disciplinary operation readily possible? What are the long-term prospects for the latest alternatives to large pharmaceutical R&D companies? In response to these and other dilemmas, the authors define the processes involved in drug R&D, explore the advantages and disadvantages of collaborative methods of drug research, and examine the roles that academia, CROs, small 'biotechnology' companies and 'research boutiques', and possibly even the 'virtual research company' might play as contractors and collaborators. Without a doubt, Modern Strategy for Preclinical Pharmaceutical R&D is essential reading for all those interested in making sense of the confusion that surrounds today's pharmaceutical industry.