Hit Finding
Identify Promising Starting Points for Drug Discovery
Drug discovery is a stepwise process that transforms a validated biological target into a development candidate suitable for preclinical and clinical evaluation. Following target identification and validation, the next objective is hit finding — identifying compounds that interact with the target and demonstrate the desired biological activity. High-quality hits provide the foundation for subsequent hit-to-lead, lead optimization, and candidate selection, ultimately improving the efficiency and success of drug discovery.
WuXi Biology and Testing provides integrated hit finding solutions that combine discovery biology, diverse screening technologies, medicinal chemistry, and early DMPK evaluation to identify high-quality starting points for drug discovery. By tailoring screening strategies to each target, therapeutic modality, and project objectives, we help accelerate the progression from validated targets to optimized lead compounds.
Success in Drug Discovery
Better Hits Lead to Better Drug Candidates
Successful drug discovery depends on finding compounds with both biological activity and favorable drug-like properties. Integrating target biology, screening technologies, medicinal chemistry, and early ADME evaluation improves hit quality and reduces downstream attrition.
Integrated Target-to-Hit Discovery
Identifying high-quality hit compounds requires close integration of assay development, protein science, screening technologies, medicinal chemistry, and computational approaches. Rather than relying on a single technology, successful hit finding often combines multiple complementary strategies to maximize chemical diversity, improve hit confidence, and accelerate downstream optimization.
We provide integrated Target-to-Hit services that enable companies in pharmaceuticals, biotechs and academics worldwide to seek premium drug discovery. As an innovation-driven and customer-focused unit, we help our partners improve the productivity of advancing hit discovery through high-quality and cost-effective solutions. With industry-leading capabilities such as protein science, biophysics, small molecule platforms (DNA-encoded library technology, high-throughput screening, ASMS and structure-based drug design) and new modality platforms (peptide discovery, mRNA display, antibody discovery, oligo discovery). We are committed to driving toward the realization of the vision that every drug can be made and every disease can be treated.
Empowered by our platform, our partners can start with an idea in mind and be provided with a high quality, one-stop solution that gives a validated hit with clear MOA for the following hit-to-lead research.
Multiple Screening Strategies for Different Drug Discovery Programs
No single screening technology is suitable for every target or therapeutic modality. The optimal hit finding strategy depends on target biology, assay format, available structural information, and project objectives.
We offer multiple complementary approaches, including:
- Experimental screening
- High-throughput screening (HTS)
- DNA-encoded library (DEL) screening
- Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD)
- Computational approaches
- Virtual screening
- Structure-based design
- Functional screening
- Phenotypic screening
- Cell-based functional screening
- New modality screening
- Peptide DEL
- mRNA display
- Antibody discovery
- Oligo discovery
Using multiple approaches increases the likelihood of identifying chemically diverse and biologically relevant hit compounds.
Confirm and Prioritize High-Quality Hits
Primary screening often identifies compounds that require further hit triage before advancing into medicinal chemistry. Secondary assays, orthogonal assays, and biophysical characterization help distinguish true hits from false positives while providing a deeper understanding of binding affinity, kinetics, selectivity, and mechanism of action.
We support hit validation using complementary technologies, including:
- Biophysical binding assays
- Biochemical functional assays
- Cell-based assays
- Concentration-response studies
- Orthogonal assay validation
- Target engagement studies
- Early ADMET assays
Accelerate Discovery Through an Integrated Platform
Successful hit finding requires expertise across multiple scientific disciplines. At WuXi Biology and Testing, we integrate discovery biology, medicinal chemistry, DMPK, bioanalysis, pharmacology, and safety assessment within a single platform.
This integrated approach enables:
- Faster project progression
- Reduced technology transfer
- Better data integration
- Earlier identification of development risks
- More informed decision-making from discovery through IND
Related Services
Hit finding is most effective when combined with complementary discovery and preclinical capabilities.
Discovery Biology
Develop robust assays, validate drug targets, and identify disease-relevant biomarkers.
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DMPK
Evaluate drug-like properties through early ADME profiling and pharmacokinetic studies.
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Bioanalysis
Generate reliable quantitative data to support screening, PK, and biomarker studies.
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Safety Assessment
Identify potential safety liabilities early to support candidate selection.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Hit finding is the process of identifying compounds or therapeutic molecules that produce a reproducible biological response in a target-based or phenotypic assay. It follows target validation or establishment of a disease-relevant screening system and generates starting points for hit-to-lead research. Promising hits are confirmed and evaluated for activity, selectivity, chemical tractability, and suitability for further optimization.
Hit finding focuses on discovering compounds with initial biological activity against a target. Lead optimization improves these hits through medicinal chemistry to enhance potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics, and safety. Together, these stages transform promising molecules into development candidates.
Common hit finding approaches include high-throughput screening (HTS), DNA-encoded library (DEL) screening, fragment-based drug discovery, virtual screening, phenotypic screening, and structure-based drug design. The optimal strategy depends on the target, available assays, and project objectives.
Compounds with strong biological activity may fail later because of poor absorption, rapid metabolism, low solubility, or unfavorable pharmacokinetics. Early ADME profiling helps identify these liabilities before significant resources are invested, enabling more informed hit prioritization.
A high-quality hit demonstrates reproducible biological activity, acceptable potency, selectivity, and sufficient chemical tractability for optimization. Additional considerations such as solubility, metabolic stability, and preliminary ADME properties are often evaluated to prioritize compounds with the greatest development potential.
Hit finding follows target identification and validation and precedes hit-to-lead and lead optimization. It establishes the foundation for successful drug discovery by identifying compounds suitable for further optimization based on biological activity and early developability assessments.
When a campaign produces few confirmed hits, the strategy can be expanded through analog searching, hit expansion, focused library screening, alternative assay formats, virtual screening, fragment screening, or another complementary hit finding approach. Rapid design–make–test cycles may also be used to explore related chemical matter and determine whether an initial hit can be developed into a broader series. The appropriate strategy depends on the target, assay performance, available structural information, and properties of the initial hits.