IDENTIFYING SMALL-MOLECULE LEAD COMPOUNDS - THE SCREENING APPROACH TODRUG DISCOVERY

A number of new technologies that enable high-throughput, cost-effecti ve screening of potential drug candidates have been developed in recen t years. Such compounds may be derived from the large proprietary coll ections held by pharmaceutical companies, from new synthetic approache s such as combinatorial chemistry, or from natural sources. The latter remain a major source of new chemicals: many are already used in huma n treatment and many others are currently undergoing evaluation as the potential medicines of the future.