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A new method developed by researchers at KAIST and Chungnam National University could drastically streamline drug interaction testing—replacing dozens of traditional experiments with just one.

The research, led by Professor Jae Kyoung Kim of KAIST Department of Mathematical Sciences & IBS Biomedical Mathematics Group and Professor Sang Kyum Kim of Chungnam National University's College of Pharmacy, introduces a novel analysis technique called 50-BOA in an article in Nature Communications on June 5, 2025.

For decades, scientists have had to repeat drug inhibition experiments across a wide range of concentrations to estimate inhibition constants—a process seen in more than 60,000 scientific publications. But the KAIST-led team discovered that a single, well-chosen inhibitor concentration can yield even more accurate results.

"This approach challenges long-standing assumptions in experimental pharmacology," says Prof. Kim. "It shows how mathematics can fundamentally redesign life science experiments."

By mathematically analyzing the sources of error in conventional methods, the team found that more than half the data typically collected adds no value or even skews results. Their new method not only cuts experimental effort by more than 75%, but also enhances reproducibility and accuracy.

To help researchers adopt the method quickly, the team developed a user-friendly tool that takes simple Excel files as input, now on GitHub.

The work holds promise for faster and more reliable drug development, especially in assessing potential interactions in combination therapies. The U.S. FDA already emphasizes accurate enzyme inhibition assessment during early-stage drug evaluation—and this method could soon become a new gold standard.