Current parallel chemistry principles and practice: application to the discovery of biologically active molecules.

This article describes the use of parallel chemistry techniques for drug discovery, based on publications from January 2006 to December 2008. Chemical libraries that yielded active compounds across a range of biological targets are presented, together with synthetic details when appropriate. Background information for the biological targets involved and any SAR that could be discerned within members of a library series also is discussed. New technological developments, as applied to library design and synthesis and, more generally, in the discovery of biologically active entities, are highlighted. In addition, the likely future directions for parallel chemistry in its ability to impact upon drug discovery are also presented.