The document provides an overview of the drug discovery process. It discusses the various stages involved including target selection, lead discovery, medicinal chemistry, in vitro studies, in vivo studies, and clinical trials.
Target selection involves identifying biological targets implicated in disease through methods like genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. Lead discovery focuses on identifying small molecule modulators through synthesis, combinatorial chemistry, assay development, and high-throughput screening. Medicinal chemistry optimizes leads through approaches such as library development, SAR studies, in silico screening, and chemical synthesis. In vitro and in vivo studies evaluate drug candidates prior to clinical trials in humans.