Editorial on the Research Topic
Novel Strategies in Drug Development Against Multifactorial Diseases

The complexity of multifactorial diseases, such as inflammation, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, infectious pathologies represents a key obstacle in the success of therapeutic intervention. The occurrence of acquired drug resistance against molecular targeted therapies harnesses this biological complexity. In this context, multitargeting compounds can be a remarkable strategy for multifactorial disease treatment and to tackle drug resistance mechanisms. Indeed, in contrast to drugs that bind to a single target, the modulation of multiple macromolecules gives rise to additive and synergistic properties with the advantage of reduced side effects.

Despite the great potential of multitargeting drugs to treat multifactorial diseases, a limited number of these compounds have reached clinical trials or market. The selection of the right target combination and the design and identification of molecules endowed with a multi-bioactive profile, particularly challenging for unrelated targets, plays a key role in successful drug development. Thus, novel computational, chemical, biological, and biophysical approaches are urgently required for achieving new effective therapeutic tools towards the treatment of multifactorial diseases. This Research Topic gathers three research studies and one review.

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