While marine biodiscovery is considered an emerging area, there are historic precedents where compounds from sea creatures have crossed over into medical use.
For example, the anti-viral drug AZT, one of the first therapies for HIV infection, was derived from a chemical found in a marine sponge in the Caribbean.
Élan Corporation's painkiller Prialt, meanwhile, which is used to treat severe, chronic pain, is the synthetic version of a compound found in the venom of the predatory marine snail Conus magnus. In addition, a range of other marine-derived compounds are being investigated or trialled as drugs against cancer or as antibiotics.