Drug discovery hit to lead

Okay kiddo, let me tell you a story about how scientists discover new medicines to help people feel better.

First, they start with something called a "drug discovery hit." This is where they find a molecule - which is like a tiny little piece of something - that looks like it might be able to help with a specific disease or condition.

But finding a drug discovery hit is just the beginning. The scientists have to do a lot of experiments and tests to make sure that the molecule will actually work as a medicine in the human body.

They also have to make sure that the molecule is safe and won't cause any harmful side effects.

Once they've done all of this work and they know that the molecule is safe and effective, they move on to the next step: "lead optimization."

This is where the scientists try to tweak the molecule to make it even better at treating the disease or condition. They might change the shape of the molecule, or add other pieces to it, to make it more potent and effective.

They'll do lots of tests on the new version of the molecule to make sure that it's still safe and effective, and they'll keep making changes until they find the best possible version of the molecule.

And that's how scientists take a drug discovery hit and turn it into a lead - a potential medicine that could help a lot of people feel better!