Dive into the critical realm of early safety testing in drug development, focusing on safety pharmacology and off-target screening. This episode explores how scientists identify and mitigate potential risks associated with new drugs before they even reach human trials. We'll discuss essential safety assays like the hERG assay for heart risks and liver enzyme assays for liver toxicity. We'll also explore the broader concept of off-target effects, where a drug interacts with unintended targets in the body, potentially leading to unexpected and harmful side effects.

Further, this episode delves into methods like computational modeling and high-throughput screening used to predict and detect these off-target interactions. We examine the challenges of predicting every possible off-target effect in the complex human body and highlight the importance of continuous monitoring even after a drug is approved. The role of regulatory agencies like the FDA and ICH in setting safety standards and guiding the entire process will also be discussed. Join us as we uncover the vital work being done to ensure the safety of new medications.