Pharmacy students Amal Hasri, Hussam Hammad, Ehab Khlaif, Nourhan Al-Abra , and Yahya Eliyan at the Arab American University completed an advanced scientific research project entitled: “Fragment-Based Drug Design Targeting EGFR Tyrosine Kinase: A Docking-Guided Fragment Growth Strategy.”
The research, supervised by Dr. Majdi Bkhaitan, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, focused on designing novel inhibitors of the EGFR tyrosine kinase enzyme using structure-based drug design techniques, specifically Fragment-Based Drug Design (FBDD).
The significance of this research lies in the field of pharmacology and drug discovery, particularly in the development of anticancer treatments, as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a key drug target in many cancers. The project aims to improve the efficacy and selectivity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and overcome drug resistance issues that limit the effectiveness of current treatments.
The study employed advanced computational techniques, utilizing the crystal structure of the EGFR protein bound to the drug Gefitinib (PDB ID: 4WKQ) to analyze the binding site and design novel drug derivatives. Several software programs were used, most notably ChemSketch for preparing the chemical structures, Discovery Studio Visualizer (BIOVIA, Dassault Systèmes) for analyzing two- and three-dimensional interactions, and ArgusLab for performing molecular docking and evaluating predicted binding energies.
The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the binding values of some of the designed compounds compared to the original drug, supporting the role of FBDD as a rational and promising approach for designing more effective drugs that are less susceptible to resistance.
The Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Professor Hatem Hijaz, affirmed that this achievement reflects the distinguished academic level of the Faculty of Pharmacy and the scientific competence of its students, as well as their ability to conduct high-quality research projects that keep pace with the latest global developments in drug design and discovery. He commended the efforts of the students and supervising faculty members, emphasizing the Faculty's commitment to supporting scientific research and encouraging creativity and innovation, which contributes to preparing qualified graduates capable of competing at both the local and international levels.
