FIG. 7.

The classic drug discovery approach to new target therapy is shown in (a) with the economic input of the NIH being almost negligible and restricted to the early embryonic phase of discovery going up to limited animal testing. In the paradigm of creation of a new molecular contrast agent, in the absence of an economic pull, NIH funding must have a larger role in creation of a pipeline of testing and evaluation at several levels, going all the way up to pilot phase 0/1 clinical trials, in order to derisk the investment of industry involvement (Ref. 136).