Small molecules are still driving progress on novel targets

I came across an interesting summary in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery looking back at the novel drug targets of 2025.

What captured my interest was an underlying pattern: most of these new targets were reached through small molecules.

This is a useful reminder that small-molecule approaches continue to open doors to genuinely novel biology, even in a period when so much attention is given to newer modalities. It's also encouraging to see this novelty spread across such a range of therapeutic areas, with some targeting rare diseases.

I don't think there's a clear conclusion to be drawn here. However, those of us who have spent our careers in small-molecule development will find it quietly reassuring.