Lead generation: reality check on commonly held views

Background: Lead generation is a critical element in the successful discovery of new drugs. Scientists engaged in lead generation are faced with a huge array of strategies and technologies, and new approaches are constantly emerging. In part as a reaction to the large number of options, several guidelines have been developed over the last 10 – 20 years that enable scientists to focus on approaches which are likely to lead to the discovery and development of orally available drugs. Objective and conclusions: This paper examines some of these guidelines as they relate to specific examples of lead generation for drug discovery, and contends that in many cases valuable discoveries can be made at the margins or even outside areas considered mainstream.

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