NOVEL HETEROCYCLIC SCAFFOLDS IN DRUG DISCOVERY: DESIGN STRATEGIES AND THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Heterocyclic compounds constitute a cornerstone of modern medicinal chemistry due to their structural diversity, tunable physicochemical properties, and broad biological activity. A significant proportion of approved drugs contain one or more heterocyclic rings, underscoring their importance in drug discovery and development. Recent advances in synthetic chemistry, computational design, and biological screening have enabled the identification of novel heterocyclic scaffolds with enhanced therapeutic potential. This review highlights contemporary strategies for the design and synthesis of novel heterocyclic frameworks and discusses their applications across major therapeutic areas, including oncology, infectious diseases, and central nervous system disorders. Emerging trends such as scaffold hopping, bioisosteric replacement, and privileged structure exploration are examined, along with current challenges and future perspectives in heterocycle-based drug discovery.