Many medications affect more than one target in the body – some drug designers are embracing the 'side effects' that had been seen as a drawback

Depending on how you look at it, drugs that can act on multiple targets could be a boon instead of a challenge. Andrew Brookes/Image Source via Getty Images

Drugs don’t always behave exactly as expected. While researchers may develop a drug to perform one specific function that’s perhaps tailored to work for a specific genetic profile, sometimes the drug might perform several other functions outside of its intended purpose.

This concept of drugs having multiple functions, called polypharmacology, may lead to unintended consequences. This is a common occurrence for cancer drugs in clinical trials that can have harmful side effects and treatment toxity.