A kernel for open source drug discovery in tropical diseases.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Conventional patent-based drug development incentives work badly for the developing world, where commercial markets are usually small to non-existent. For this reason, the past decade has seen extensive experimentation with alternative R&D institutions ranging from private-public partnerships to development prizes. Despite extensive discussion, however, one of the most promising avenues-open source drug discovery-has remained elusive. We argue that the stumbling block has been the absence of a critical mass of preexisting work that volunteers can improve through a series of granular contributions. Historically, open source software collaborations have almost never succeeded without such "kernels".

Methodology/principal findings

HERE, WE USE A COMPUTATIONAL PIPELIN

SUBMITTER: Orti L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2667270 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature