Overview
Drug design, also known as rational drug design, is the process of creating new drugs based on the knowledge of the target and the interactions between the drug and the target. Drug design is a complex and extensive process that involves several steps such as target identification, lead discovery, lead optimization, and preclinical development. The first step in drug design is the identification of a specific target that is responsible for a particular disease. This target can be a protein or an enzyme that is involved in the disease process. Once the target is identified, the next step is to find a suitable lead compound that can interact with the target and modulate its activity. Lead discovery involves screening large libraries of compounds to find potential leads that can bind to the target. The lead compounds are then optimized to improve their potency, selectivity, and pharmacokinetic properties. Various computational and experimental techniques are used to optimize the lead compounds. Once the lead compounds have been optimized, they undergo preclinical development, which involves studies to determine their safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic properties. This includes animal studies, toxicology, and formulation development. Drug design is a critical process in the pharmaceutical industry as it is essential in discovering new drugs to treat a wide range of diseases. By using advanced pharmaceutical science and technology, drug design has become more efficient and effective in recent years, leading to the discovery of new drugs that have significantly improved patient outcomes.
Research published in this journal
6 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
How this research is being cited
The 6 articles above have been cited 26 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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2026 · Bioresource Technology Reports
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2025 · BMC Research Notes
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Factors influencing irresponsible self-medication in rural Ethiopia: Insights from Gimbichu district2025 · Journal of Public Health in Africa
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Rachael Asantewaa Darko et al. · 2025 · BMC Research Notes
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2024 · medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
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YI Wibowo et al. · 2024 · International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS)
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Rachael Asantewaa Darko et al. · 2024 · medRxiv
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Matylda Szewczyk-Łagodzińska et al. · 2023 · Polymers
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Drug Design, linking to each citing work.