Applications of Connectivity Map in drug discovery and development

► CMap approach offers alternative ways to drug discovery. ► CMap enables efficient hypothesis generation for mechanism understanding and drug repurposing. ► Combined with various in silico approaches, drug discovery cycle time may potentially be reduced. ► Further examples of clinical validation may help assess and improve CMap approach further. ► Ideas for open innovation are being sought after to further impact drug discovery positively. Genome-wide expression profiling of gene transcripts has been successfully applied in biomedical discovery for over a decade. Based on the premises of this technology, Connectivity Map provides a data-driven and systematic approach for discovering associations among genes, chemicals and biological conditions such as diseases. Since its first introduction in 2006, the approach has shown emerging promises in uncovering avenues for drug discovery and development such as in identifying and suggesting new indications for existing drugs and elucidating mode of actions for novel chemicals in addition to potentially predicting side effects.