Drug development
（重定向自Lead Optimization）
![Drug discovery cycle schematic](/Images/godic/202501/23/Drug_discovery_cycle.svg5422.png")
![Timeline showing the various drug approval tracks and research phases](/Images/godic/202501/23/Drug_Evaluation_Process5422.jpg")
Drug development is the process of bringing a new pharmaceutical drug to the market once a lead compound has been identified through the process of drug discovery. It includes pre-clinical research on microorganisms and animals, clinical trials on humans, and may include the step of obtaining regulatory approval to market the drug.