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Clinical trials
Clinical trials are research studies intended to answer scientific questions and find better ways to treat or prevent diseases. All drugs enter the clinic via proof-of-concept trials, small-scale studies designed to get an early read on a drug’s safety and effectiveness, and to help find and advance the most promising drug candidates. Wherever possible, especially when molecular pathways are shared, several diseases are explored in parallel. If the proof-of-concept study is successful, a medicine typically moves into full clinical development.