For the past decade, the number of molecular targets for approved drugs has been debated. However, if we are to develop predictive methods to identify potential new drug targets, it is important that we establish with confidence the number, characteristics and biological diversity of targets of approved drugs. The perspective article by Overington et al. and accompanying poster provide a comprehensive survey of current drug targets, and a wealth of associated information on the characteristics of target families and the drugs that modulate them.

Further literature on this topic can be found in our online library.


Editorial

What's in a number?

doi:10.1038/nrd2205

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 5, 975 (2006)

Poster

The molecular pharmacopoeia

John P. Overington, Bissan Al Lazikani and Andrew L. Hopkins

Download a high-resolution PDF of the poster (2,000 KB)

Perspective

How many drug targets are there?

John P. Overington, Bissan Al-Lazikani and Andrew L. Hopkins

doi:10.1038/nrd2199

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 5, 993-996 (2006)

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