Drug Molecules

The term Drug Molecules refers to a broad category of chemical or biological substances used for medical therapy, rather than a specific biological target such as a receptor or enzyme. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a drug is defined as a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease (FDA, 2023). In contrast, a drug target is a specific molecular entity, typically a protein, whose activity is modified by a drug to produce a therapeutic effect (IUPAC, 1997). Because Drug Molecules is a collective noun for the agents of therapy, it cannot be classified as a therapeutic target itself. This entry is considered incorrect for target identification purposes as it lacks the biological specificity required to define a mechanism of action or a role in disease pathology. Specificity is essential in drug discovery to link a molecule to a particular biological pathway or clinical outcome.

Other names

PharmaceuticalsMedicinesTherapeutic agentsSmall moleculesBiologics

Not applicable as this term refers to the therapeutic agents themselves rather than a biological target.