Medicinal Chemistry
A section of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247).
Section Information
The section of Medicinal Chemistry welcomes manuscripts involving aspects within the definition of medicinal chemistry related to the invention, discovery, design, identification and preparation of biologically active compounds, the study of their metabolism, the interpretation of their mode of action at the molecular level and the construction of structure-activity relationships. Novel strategies and methodologies with relevant application to chemical biology and medicinal chemistry are also welcome.
Our aim is to publish updated reviews as well as research articles with comprehensive theoretical and experimental details covering all aspects of small molecules as drug candidates e.g. drug discovery and design, combinatorial chemistry, structure-property correlations, molecular modelling and bioinformatics. Short communications are also accepted; therefore, there is no restriction on the length of a paper. Download Section Flyer
Keywords
- New synthetic routes for drug candidates
- Lead discovery and optimization methods; structure–activity relationships and QSAR
- Structure-based drug design, molecular modelling, docking studies and crystal structure analysis
- Identification and validation of novel drug targets, and high-throughput screening
- Virtual screening, database mining, and machine learning in drug discovery
- Role of ADMET in drug discovery
- Chemical biology and chemical probes
Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Effects of Drug Abuse and Its Consequences on Health (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Innovative Organic Synthesis Approaches in Drug Design and Development (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Advances in Medicinal Chemistry: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Advances in Hydrazone Compounds with Anticancer Activity (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Innovative Computational and Experimental Strategies in Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (Deadline: 10 May 2026)
- Metals in Cancer Research: Beyond Platinum Metallodrugs (Deadline: 15 May 2026)
- Mathematical Modeling in Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (Deadline: 25 May 2026)
- Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Drug Discovery (Deadline: 25 May 2026)
- Antidiabetic Agents: New Drug Discovery Insights and Prospects (Deadline: 25 May 2026)
- Metal Complexes in Medicinal Chemistry: From Coordination Chemistry to Pharmaceutical Applications (Deadline: 25 May 2026)
- Therapeutic Methods Against Acute and Chronic Diseases and Oxidative Stress (Deadline: 25 May 2026)
- Computational Methods in Drug Development (Deadline: 26 May 2026)
- Sex Differences in Pharmaceutical Practice: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 28 May 2026)
- Recent Advances in the Discovery and Development of Drugs for Civilization Diseases, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 29 May 2026)
- Targeting Bacterial Metabolism with Natural and Synthetic Inhibitors (Deadline: 29 May 2026)
- Pharmacotherapy of Dyslipidemias, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 29 May 2026)
- Small Molecule Drug Discovery: Driven by In-Silico Techniques (Deadline: 29 May 2026)
- Drug Candidates for the Treatment of Obesity, 3rd Edition (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Pharmacological Treatments for Parasitic Diseases (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Novel Anticancer Drug Development and Toxicity Reduction Strategies (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Anti-Fbibrosis Agent Development (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Heterocyclic Chemistry in Modern Drug Development (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Emerging Computational Approaches in Drug Discovery and Design (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for Drug Discovery, Development and Biomedical Research (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Drug Discovery and Development for Parasitic Diseases (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Allosteric Modulators: Unlocking New Dimensions from Molecular Discovery to Therapeutic Potential (Deadline: 20 June 2026)
- Innovative Synthetic Strategies in Drug Discovery (Deadline: 20 June 2026)
- Structural and Computationally Driven Molecule Design in Drug Discovery: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 22 June 2026)
- Secondary Metabolites as Drug Leads: Bridging Experimental Discovery and Computational Innovation (Deadline: 25 June 2026)
- Pharmacological Interventions for Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression (Deadline: 25 June 2026)
- Green Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles (Deadline: 25 June 2026)
- Chirality in Drugs (Deadline: 26 June 2026)
- Next-Generation Antinfective Agents (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Novel Heterocyclic Compounds as Potential Anti-Inflammatory and/or Anticancer Agents (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Selected Papers from the 1st International Electronic Conference on Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutics (ECMC-P2025) (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Advances in Enzyme Inhibitors and Protein Degraders as Anticancer Agents (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Boron-Containing Compounds: Identification, Synthesis, Biological Actions and Pharmacology (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Antifungal Therapy Strategies: A Focus on Novel Compounds and Inhibitors (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Platform Technologies and Emerging Modalities for Neglected Tropical Disease Therapeutics (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Selective Histone Deacetylase Isoforms as Potential Therapeutic Targets (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Current Trends to Discover New Drugs Targeting Protease Inhibition (Deadline: 15 July 2026)
- Dopamine Receptor: Novel Opportunities for Drug Developments (Deadline: 20 July 2026)
- Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Small Molecules for the Treatment of Solid Tumors (Deadline: 20 July 2026)
- Advances in Hybrid Anticancer Drugs: Innovations and Therapeutic Potential (Deadline: 25 July 2026)
- Novel Drug Targets and Drug Candidates for Neglected Tropical Diseases (Deadline: 27 July 2026)
- Hybrid and Chimeric Heterocycles: A Promising Approach to Synthesizing Biologically Active Compounds (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- The Nuclear Factor Kappa-B (NF-κB) Pathway as a Target for Drug Discovery (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Heterocyclic Compounds in Targeted Cancer Therapy: Advances in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Development (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Advanced Three-Dimensional In Vitro Models for Disease Biology and Pharmaceutical Development (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Application of Computer Simulation in Drug Design (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Computational and Experimental Strategies for Antiparasitic Drug Discovery (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Immunomodulatory Drugs for Autoimmune Diseases: Mechanisms, Development and Clinical Translation (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Enzyme Inhibitors: Potential Therapeutic Approaches, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 15 August 2026)
- Therapeutic Applications of Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibitors (Deadline: 20 August 2026)
- Crystal Engineering in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (Deadline: 25 August 2026)
- Multitargeted Compounds: A Promising Approach in Medicinal Chemistry—2nd Edition (Deadline: 28 August 2026)
- A Commemorative Special Issue in Honor of Professor Carlos Alberto Manssour Fraga: Medicinal Chemistry’s Efforts to Discover Novel Bioactive Molecules for Complex Diseases (Deadline: 28 August 2026)
- Pharmacological Innovations for Healthy Ageing Throughout Life (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Endocannabinoid-Like Mediators and Their Derivatives (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Research on Guanidine-Based Drugs: Synthesis, Antiparasitic, Antifungal, Antiviral, and Anticancer Activities (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Hybrid Molecules in Medicinal Chemistry: Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Molecular Systems for the Delivery of Drugs and Contrast Agents, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Current Advances, Applications and Future Development of Transition Metal Complexes, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Pyrazole and Its Derivatives: Drug Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- New Perspective of Antiviral Drugs (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Biomarkers in the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases (Deadline: 10 September 2026)
- Medicinal Chemistry of Thiazine and Oxazine Derivatives: Trends and Future Directions as Therapeutic Drugs (Deadline: 10 September 2026)
- Structural Insights into Protein Kinases-Targeted Therapies: Overcoming Resistance and Advancing Precision Oncology (Deadline: 20 September 2026)
- Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases (Deadline: 25 September 2026)
- Advances in the Medicinal Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds (Deadline: 25 September 2026)
- Recent Advancements in the Development of Antiprotozoal Agents: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 25 September 2026)
- Heterocyclic Compounds in Medicinal Chemistry, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 25 September 2026)
- Design and Development of PLGA and Polysaccharide Microparticles (Deadline: 25 September 2026)
- Advances in Small-Molecule Therapeutics Targeting Signaling Pathways (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Therapeutic Potential of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs), 2nd Edition (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Omics Approaches in Drug Discovery, Precision Therapy, and Disease Prevention (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Design, Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Novel Opioid/Non-Opioid Hybrid Compounds (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Integrated In Silico, In Cellulo, In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches in Modern Drug Discovery (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Application of 2D and 3D-QSAR Models in Drug Design: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Chronic Inflammation: Molecular Mechanisms and Precision Biomarkers (Deadline: 10 October 2026)
- Research on Diagnosis, Treatment and Related Microbiota in Gastrointestinal Diseases (Deadline: 25 October 2026)
- Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Biologically Active Heterocyclic Compounds (Deadline: 30 October 2026)
- Modern Drug Discovery: Computational Modeling, Chemical Synthesis, Structure–Activity Relationships, and Experimental Pharmacology (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Cholinesterases—Structure, Mechanism, Function and Drug Discovery (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Treatment and Molecular Mechanisms of Depression (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Click Chemistry-Aided Drug Discovery (Deadline: 15 November 2026)
- Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Parasitic Diseases (Deadline: 25 November 2026)
- Antimicrobial and Anticancer Scaffolds in Medicinal Chemistry (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Druggability of Mitochondrial Proteases: Emerging Targets and Therapeutic Opportunities in Cancer and Neurodegeneration (Deadline: 20 December 2026)
- Metal-Based Nanoparticles’ Biological Activity and Pharmaceutical Applications, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 20 December 2026)
- A Commemorative Special Issue in Honor of Professor Eliezer J. Barreiro: Early Drug Discovery: From Target Identification and Validation to Lead Optimization (Deadline: 31 January 2027)
Topical Collections
Following topical collections within this section are currently open for submissions:
