Matt Crawford speaks with author Dr. Makhdum Ahmed about his book, Race for a Remedy: The Science and Scientists Behind the Next Life-Saving Cancer Medicine. How does a mere molecule—a chemical structure—become a drug? And, how do we know that it works safely? In a one-trillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry with high-stakes profits and perils, battles are raging every day to successfully bring a molecule to its birth: an FDA-approved medicine. In Race for a Remedy, internationally renowned expert in cancer treatment and drug development Makhdum Ahmed, MD, takes readers behind the scenes of the fascinating and intense world of cancer drug development. Whether it’s a small molecule, a versatile monoclonal antibody, or the fancy, poster child of cutting-edge cell therapy, modern drugs are built upon a centuries-old solid foundation set by the pioneers of medicine and immunology. This revealing book also explores the struggles for current-day pharmaceutical and biotech industries to overtake competitors and make sure their molecule reaches the finish line first. For leading cancer drug developers, that means achieving the ultimate goal: creating the next live-saving cancer medicine.

Readers will also find answers to common questions on drugs, such as:

• How long does it usually take for a drug to come to market?
• When can we expect a cure for cancers like leukemia and lymphoma?
• Are experimental medicines unsafe?
• Given my illness (or that of my loved one), should I join a clinical trial and what are the odds it will help?

A leading medical expert on the frontlines of drug creation, Dr. Ahmed offers basic pharmacological insights, revolutionary science, and the gripping arc of new drug development. Race for a Remedy will change the way readers think about medicine.