Off-target activity

The effects that can occur when a drug binds to or interacts with molecules other than those that it is meant to.

The action of drugs such as antibiotics is based on their interaction with specific targets. Off-target activity can lead to side effects that may be harmful (toxicity). Very rarely, it is possible to take advantage of off-target activity for therapeutic purposes.

A framework for identification of on- and off-target transcriptional responses to drug treatment (Scientific Reports, 2019)

Large-scale detection of drug off-targets: hypotheses for drug repurposing and understanding side-effects (BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology, 2017)