This special APSB issue marks the beginning of a series of celebratory events for the 10-year anniversary of the journal. It was June 2011, when the first issue of the journal was published. It has been an exciting decade for the growth of the journal, which began publishing bimonthly and was changed to monthly in 2020 to meet the ever-increasing demand for journal space. The inaugural issue had 10 articles, including two reviews and eight research articles. From the beginning, the editors set high standards and expectations. The annual editorial report for the first year showed a rejection rate of 85%; today, the rejection rate is over 93%. The initial goal of reaching an impact factor of 3 was quickly reached; now the impact factor is above 7. The journal has established itself as a leading international journal in pharmaceutical sciences in a relatively short time, an accomplishment well worth celebrating!
Many factors have contributed to the success of the journal. These include a successful partnership between a renowned academic institution (the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), a large professional society (Chinese Pharmaceutical Association), and a well-established international publisher (Elsevier B.V.); the combination of the open-access format with a not-for-profit business model; and, above all, the dedicated services of the editors, the editorial team, the academic consultants, the esteemed members of the international editorial board, and a large group of scientists who volunteered their time to review for the journal.
This 10th Anniversary special issue showcases 9 review articles and 13 research articles. As is typically found in a general issue of APSB, wide-ranging topics are covered, including a variety of disease targets (such as cancers, metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases) and basic science subjects (such as pharmacology and pharmaceutics). Many of the articles are written by authors that have been frequent contributors to the journal, and the topics highlight some of the most important issues in pharmaceutical sciences today. In addition to this special issue, other invited review articles are in the works, which will appear in various journal issues in 2021. Additionally, several other, more focused, special issues are forthcoming, covering such topics as “drug- and xenobiotic-induced liver toxicity,” “drug target and drug development for Alzheimer's disease,” “antiviral drug discovery and pharmacology,” and “novel peptides and peptidomimetics in drug discovery.”
On a personal note, it has been a privilege for me to be associated with this amazing journal in the last 10 years. I sincerely wish continued success of the journal in the next decade. I thank the authors for trusting the editorial team with your valuable work, the reviewers for your punctual and noble service, the editors for maintaining scientific rigor and academic integrity, and the staff for your dedication and professionalism. Together, we can make even greater strides in making this journal an essential forum for the international pharmaceutical sciences research community.
Footnotes
Peer review under responsibility of Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.