Building capacities for drug discovery in Latin America and the Caribbean

The hardest and costliest stage of drug development comes before the first trial. Pre-clinical development is a process in which molecules are prospectively tested for bioactivity and whether said molecule can exert a beneficial effect, for example, in the cure of a disease. 

This effort is made much easier by working in academic teams and using the latest technology to prospect for bioactivity among the metabolites of living organisms. The course Tools for the preclinical study of new bioactive molecules from a One Health perspective, held at Institut Pasteur from the 20^th to the 26^th of June 2025, was a great capacity-building and technology transfer experience that aims at achieving local autonomy in the field of drug development, thus reducing regional dependency. We thank Drs. Gloria López, Andrea Medeiros, and Beatriz Munguía for coordinating this activity, which will be a reference for the Global South.