Pharmacological space

A precise mapping of the biological target space is essential in drug discovery for many reasons. First, it enables to properly describe targets of existing drugs and clinical candidates and therefore estimate the druggability of major target families. Second, it permits to orient early drug discovery towards previously uncharted target space (e.g. protein-protein interactions, epigenetic targets) with the hope of discovering selective and safe drug candidates. Last, it provides an ideal framework to better understand molecular reasons for promiscuity and polyphamacology.