What is the purpose of a "preclinical study"?

A preclinical study serves a critical role in the drug development process, as it is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a drug candidate before it enters clinical trials involving human participants. This phase typically involves laboratory research and animal testing to gather essential data about the pharmacological properties of the drug, dosages, toxicity levels, and potential side effects. By gathering this information, researchers can identify the appropriate dose range and assess whether the drug has enough therapeutic effect to justify moving forward into clinical studies.

The results from preclinical studies are vital as they help regulatory authorities, such as the FDA, to determine if the drug is safe enough to transition to human trials, ultimately ensuring participant safety and promoting effective treatments. Therefore, assessing safety and efficacy prior to human trials is a fundamental goal of preclinical research, thus making the identification of this process a crucial foundation in drug development.