While the process of bringing a new drug to market typically moves at a slow pace, the team at C4X has found that the Unreal Engine is the perfect enabler. Normally, the time between concept and market launch is around 10 to 12 years. According to Philip Muwanga, lead software developer at C4X Discovery<\/a>the new tool should significantly speed up the development process and make the scientists' work easier.<\/p>\n Discovering a drug that is effective for its purpose is no easy task, but it all starts with the shape and properties of molecules. These are typically visualised with a plug-in molecular model, but this takes time. With virtual reality, the whole process could be far better visualised and simplified.<\/p>\n And so the chemists at C4X Discovery in Manchester are using virtual reality technology to visualise the structure of complex molecules. The tool called 4Sight has already been used in the development of a drug for treating addiction. The ability to practically apply 3D molecule models in VR, to explore them from different angles and perspectives and to interact with them in new ways is a decisive factor for pharmaceutical research and could bring it further forward.<\/p>\n