Preclinical drug development is an essential step in the drug development process
where the evaluation of new chemical entities occurs. In particular, preclinical drug development
phases include deep analysis of drug candidates’ interactions with biomolecules/targets,
their safety, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, metabolism by use of assays in vitro and in vivo animal
assays. Legal aspects of the required procedures are well-established. Herein, we present
a comprehensive summary of current state-of-the art approaches and techniques used in preclinical
studies. In particular, we will review the potential of new, -omics methods and platforms
for mechanistic evaluation of drug candidates and speed-up of the preclinical evaluation
steps.