Ein gescheitertes Experiment von Cambridge-Wissenschaftlern führt zu einem überraschenden Durchbruch bei der Arzneimittelentwicklung. Wissenschaftler haben eine neue Methode entwickelt, um komplexe Arzneimittelmoleküle mithilfe von Licht statt giftigen Chemikalien zu verändern – eine Entdeckung, die die Entwicklung und Herstellung von Arzneimitteln beschleunigen und verbessern könnte.

>Published today (Thursday 12 March) in [Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44160-026-00994-w) Synthesis, the study introduces what the team calls an “anti-Friedel–Crafts” reaction. A classic Friedel–Crafts reaction uses strong chemicals or metal catalysts under harsh experimental conditions. This means the reaction can only happen in the early stages of drug manufacturing, and is followed by many additional chemical steps to produce the final drug.

>The new Cambridge approach reverses that pattern, allowing scientists to modify drug molecules at the final stages of production.

>Rather than relying on heavy metal catalysts, the chemistry is powered by an LED lamp at ambient temperature. When activated, it triggers a self-sustaining chain process that forges new carbon–carbon bonds under mild conditions and without toxic or expensive chemicals.

>In practical terms, this means chemists can make targeted changes late in the development of a new or existing drug rather than dismantling and rebuilding complex molecules from scratch – a process that can otherwise take months.

>“We’ve found a new way to make precise changes to complex drug molecules, particularly ones that have been exceptionally difficult to modify in the past,” said David Vahey, first author and a PhD researcher at St John’s College, Cambridge.

>“Scientists can spend months rebuilding large parts of a molecule just to test one small change. Now, instead of doing a multistep process for hundreds of molecules, scientists can start with their hit and make small modifications later on.”