The future of phenotypic drug discovery

Summary Phenotypic drug discovery (PDD) uses biological systems directly for new screening. While PDD has proved effective in the of drugs with novel mechanisms, broader adoption, key challenges need resolution: progression poorly qualified leads and overloaded pipelines due to lack tools process prioritize hits; advancement undesirable mechanisms that fail at more expensive stages discovery. Here I discuss how human-based phenotypic platforms are being applied throughout hit triage prioritization, elimination hits unsuitable supporting clinical strategies through pathway-based decision frameworks. Harnessing data generated these can also fuel a deeper understanding efficacy toxicity mechanisms. As approaches increase use, they will gain power driving better decisions, generating faster turn promoting greater adoption PDD.