Example of computational biology at the new drug application (NDA) and regulatory approval stages

In the early 2000s, a popular and clinically valuable class of drugs known as the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) class was being used to treat osteoarthritis and acute pain conditions. Of the several chemical members of this class, rofecoxib was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 1999, with Merck and Co. marketing it under the brand names Vioxx and Ceoxx. The drug recorded more than $2 billion a year with more than 75 million patients taking it worldwide.