Why is Catalysis Important in the Development of Statins?
The development of statins required a deep understanding of enzymatic catalysis. Researchers needed to identify the active site of HMG-CoA Reductase and design molecules that could effectively bind to this site. Techniques such as X-ray crystallography were used to determine the structure of the enzyme and identify potential binding sites for inhibitors. This allowed for the rational design of statin molecules that could act as potent inhibitors of the enzyme.
