Needed: system dynamics for the drug discovery process.

A system dynamics structure to characterize the link between technology and critical management decisions in the drug discovery process (DDP) is needed. The DDP includes many interacting feedback loops that impact decisions executed in early stages and that influence performance in later development stages. The complexity of the DDP and the absence of systemic perspective, contributes imprecision to decision-makers' own mental models, and limits their ability to generate decisions that provoke genuine process improvements. Hence, the emergence and use of new integrated technology- and knowledge-based approaches bridge to R&D concern at least early attrition rates, critical high-content chemical lead value identification and time delay reduction for the early phase DDP.