This book provides an overview of how key aspects of the current drug development process and presents ideas as to how the process may work in the future. The book is organized to reflect the various functional disciplines involved in the development of drugs. Although some disciplines, such as basic research, are likely to experience great changes in the next few decades, all functional areas are evolving as the advances in basic science allow fundamental health issues to be addressed. The early decades of the twenty-first century will almost certainly see continued success in turning basic biological research into exciting pharmaceutical products. Improvements in the drug development process described in this book will be critical in achieving this goal.