DURECT began life in 1998 dedicated to exploiting the benefits of enhanced drug delivery. Our goal was to optimize the physical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties of approved active agents in ways that would solve significant clinical problems. In recent years, we have built upon this significant legacy, expanding our reach to encompass the development of a family of endogenous molecules that are entirely new to pharmaceutical research and that show remarkable promise in a number of important therapeutic areas.Whether taking aim at improved drug formulations or bringing to market therapies based on completely novel molecules and avenues of research, the men and women of DURECT strive to fulfill a fundamental promise to patients, physicians, corporate partners, and investors: create best-in-class pharmaceutical products with enduring value—measured most directly by their potential to make real, palpable differences in the lives of those who need them.