Final answer:
During the optimization of initial hits (leads) from a drug screen, the focus is on drug safety, drug target specificity, and drug pharmacokinetics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The optimization of initial hits (leads) from a drug screen focuses on several drug properties:
- Drug safety: The candidate drugs should have minimal toxicity and side effects.
- Drug target specificity: The drugs should specifically target the protein or molecule associated with the disease.
- Drug pharmacokinetics: This includes the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties of the drugs, such as solubility, bioavailability, and metabolic stability.