A lead compound is defined as “a compound with known properties that a medicinal chemist uses as a starting point for drug development.” Daiichi Sankyo Co. v. Mylan Pharms., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6797 [..]

A compound that exhibits pharmacological properties which suggest its value as a starting point for drug development.

Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry Lead compound: In drug discovery, a compound that shows some interesting biological activity. The molecular structure of the lead compound is then varied -- p [..]

A lead compound (i.e. a "leading" compound, not to be confused with various compounds of the metallic element lead) in drug discovery is a chemical compound that has pharmacological or biological acti [..]

A lead compound in the drug discovery process is a compound that has expected biological activity found in the early discovery stage. Drug seeds are developed later from the lead compound by the chemical modification to improve the potency and down-regulate the side effects, which is called lead optimization step.

A peptide or small molecule that optimally modulates the activity of a receptor or other target protein. A successful lead compound becomes a drug candidate for further development.

In medicine, a chemical compound that shows promise as a treatment for a disease and may lead to the development of a new drug. Thousands of compounds are tested in the laboratory to find a lead (“lea [..]