Biological target identification and validation are among the most important steps in developing a new drug. Drug target validation involves proving that either DNA, RNA, or a protein molecule is directly involved in a disease process and can be a suitable target for development of a new therapeutic drug.

To qualify as ‘druggable’, a target must be accessible to the proposed drug molecule, and a measurable biological reaction must be provoked as a consequence of the drug interacting with the target. This reaction may be measured both in vitro and in vivo.

Once the target has been identified, for example by genomic or proteomic investigations, the target is then validated in functional studies. The main strategies involved in target validation are gene knockout studies and direct inhibition of the target by small molecules, peptides, antibodies or any other class of inhibitors. The knockout approach genetically inhibits the target, thereby mimicking the action of the drug and allows a drug to be modeled before it is developed.

Information about established drugs and drug-target interactions is available online via public databases such as Drug Bank and the Therapeutic Targets Database. In addition, information on potentially novel drug targets can be found at Center Watch's, Drugs in Clinical Trials Database, which identifies trends in drug development based on current clinical trials.

Explore our popular knockout cell lines for drug target identification and validation
ABAT CHRNB2 IFNGR1 MUT SCN1B
ABCA1 CKB IFNGR2 NOS2 SCNN1D
ABCC1 CNR1 IL11RA NR3C2 SHMT1
ACE COMT IMPDH2 PDE10A SIGMAR1
ACHE CPT1A ITGA2B PDE4A SLC18A2
ACVR2A CPT2 JUN PDE5A SLC5A2
ADA CYP51A1 KCNC1 PDE7A SMS
ADIPOR1 DPP4 KCND2 PDXK SOAT1
ADIPOR2 EPOR KCNJ11 PGF SQLE
ADK FADS1 KCNK2 PLAU SRD5A1
ADORA2A FASN KCNQ1 PLAUR SYT2
ADORA2B FGF2 KCNQ2 PNP THRB
ADRA1A FN1 KEAP1 POLE4 TOP1MT
ANXA1 FTL KMT2C PRKAG1 TOP2B
AR GAA M6PR PRKAG2 TPMT
ASIC1 GABBR1 MAOA PRLR TSPO
BCHE GABRA5 MAP1A PROS1 TUBA1
BLVRB GABRB3 MAP2 PSMB10 TUBA4A
CA2 GANAB MAP4 PSMB8 TUBB1
CACNA1H GANC MME PSMB9 TUBB4B
CACNA2D1 GGCX MMP11 PTGER3 UGCG
CACNA2D2 GLRB MMP15 QPRT VAMP1
CACNB1 GSR MMP16 RAMP1 VEGFA
CACNB3 HMMR MMP17 RAMP2 VEGFB
CACNB4 HPRT1 MMP24 RARG VKORC1
CCKBR HTR6 MMP25 RXRA
CCND1 IFNAR1 MS4A2 RXRB
CHD1 IFNAR2 MTR S1PR5