Multiple biological targets

"Multiple biological targets" refers broadly to any situation where a drug or compound interacts with more than one molecular entity within an organism. This concept underlies polypharmacology—the design or use of drugs that act simultaneously at several distinct proteins such as receptors, enzymes, ion channels, transporters, etc.[2][3][4] While targeting multiple pathways can offer therapeutic advantages in complex diseases like cancer or neurodegeneration by addressing multifactorial pathologies and reducing resistance development,[7] it also increases the risk of side effects due to unintended interactions ("off-target effects"). The term itself does not denote any specific molecule but rather describes a strategy or property relevant in modern drug discovery.[2] "A 'master key compound' ... binds to a given number of targets that produce desirable clinical effect without hitting ... off-targets related to undesirable secondary effects."[2] "Polypharmacology marked a paradigm shift in drug discovery from the traditional ‘one drug, one target’ approach ... indicating that highly effective drugs favorably modulate multiple biological targets."[3]

Other names

PolypharmacologyMultitargetPromiscuous bindingMulti-target drug

Varies depending on the actual set of biological targets. Mechanisms may include enzyme inhibition, receptor antagonism/agonism, ion channel modulation, etc., but cannot be specified without further detail