Nuclear receptors as drug targets: new developments in coregulators, orphan receptors and major therapeutic areas.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ideal targets for drug discovery. Not only do they control a myriad of biological and disease processes, but they are also regulated by small lipophilic molecules that can be easily exchanged with a drug of choice. All 48 of the NR genes in the human genome have been identified, many of their structures have been solved and their ligands identified. Their mechanism of action has been elucidated and many of their target genes have been identified. Nonetheless, presentations at the recent conference sponsored by IBC Life Sciences indicated that, while many NRs already have marketable drugs, the latest tools in robotics, genomics, proteomics, and informatics are helping to identify more selective drugs.