Page "Medicinal chemistry" Paragraph 5

Further chemistry and analysis is necessary, first to identify and " triage " compounds that do not provide series displaying suitable SAR and chemical characteristics associated with long-term potential for development, then to improve remaining hit series with regard to the desired primary activity, as well as secondary activities and physiochemical properties such that the agent will be useful when administered in real patients.

In this regard, chemical modifications can improve the recognition and binding geometries ( pharmacophores ) of the candidate compounds, and so their affinities for their targets, as well as improving the physicochemical properties of the molecule that underlie necessary pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic ( PK / PD ), and toxicologic profiles ( stability toward metabolic degradation, lack of geno -, hepatic, and cardiac toxicities, etc.

) such that the chemical compound or biologic is suitable for introduction into animal and human studies.