Follow-up: Prospective compound design using the 'SAR Matrix' method and matrix-derived conditional probabilities of activity.

In a previous Method Article, we have presented the 'Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Matrix' (SARM) approach. The SARM methodology is designed to systematically extract structurally related compound series from screening or chemical optimization data and organize these series and associated SAR information in matrices reminiscent of R-group tables. SARM calculations also yield many virtual candidate compounds that form a "chemical space envelope" around related series.

Hit Expansion from Screening Data Based upon Conditional Probabilities of Activity Derived from SAR Matrices.

A new methodology for activity prediction of compounds from SAR matrices is introduced that is based upon conditional probabilities of activity. The approach has low computational complexity, is primarily designed for hit expansion from biological screening data, and accurately predicts both active and inactive compounds. Its performance is comparable to state-of-the-art machine learning methods such as support vector machines or Bayesian classification.

The 'SAR Matrix' method and its extensions for applications in medicinal chemistry and chemogenomics.

We describe the 'Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Matrix' (SARM) methodology that is based upon a special two-step application of the matched molecular pair (MMP) formalism. The SARM method has originally been designed for the extraction, organization, and visualization of compound series and associated SAR information from compound data sets. It has been further developed and adapted for other applications including compound design, activity prediction, library extension, and the navigation of multi-target activity spaces.

Prediction of compounds in different local structure-activity relationship environments using emerging chemical patterns.

Active compounds can participate in different local structure-activity relationship (SAR) environments and introduce different degrees of local SAR discontinuity, depending on their structural and potency relationships in data sets. Such SAR features have thus far mostly been analyzed using descriptive approaches, in particular, on the basis of activity landscape modeling. However, compounds in different local SAR environments have not yet been predicted.

Exploring compound promiscuity patterns and multi-target activity spaces.

Compound promiscuity is rationalized as the specific interaction of a small molecule with multiple biological targets (as opposed to non-specific binding events) and represents the molecular basis of polypharmacology, an emerging theme in drug discovery and chemical biology. This concise review focuses on recent studies that have provided a detailed picture of the degree of promiscuity among different categories of small molecules. In addition, an exemplary computational approach is discussed that is designed to navigate multi-target activity spaces populated with various compounds.

Neighborhood-based prediction of novel active compounds from SAR matrices.

The SAR matrix data structure organizes compound data sets according to structurally analogous matching molecular series in a format reminiscent of conventional R-group tables. An intrinsic feature of SAR matrices is that they contain many virtual compounds that represent unexplored combinations of core structures and substituents extracted from compound data sets on the basis of the matched molecular pair formalism. These virtual compounds are candidates for further exploration but are difficult, if not impossible to prioritize on the basis of visual inspection of multiple SAR matrices.

Systematic mining of analog series with related core structures in multi-target activity space.

We have aimed to systematically extract analog series with related core structures from multi-target activity space to explore target promiscuity of closely related analogous. Therefore, a previously introduced SAR matrix structure was adapted and further extended for large-scale data mining. These matrices organize analog series with related yet distinct core structures in a consistent manner.

Identification of multitarget activity ridges in high-dimensional bioactivity spaces.

An activity cliff is defined as a pair of structurally similar compounds that have a large difference in potency against a given target. The activity cliff concept has recently been extended in different ways, including the introduction of the activity ridge data structure. An activity ridge consists of two subsets of highly and weakly potent structurally analogous compounds that form all possible pairwise activity cliffs between them.

Introducing the LASSO graph for compound data set representation and structure-activity relationship analysis.

A graphical method is introduced for compound data mining and structure-activity relationship (SAR) data analysis that is based upon a canonical structural organization scheme and captures a compound-scaffold-skeleton hierarchy. The graph representation has a constant layout, integrates compound activity data, and provides direct access to SAR information. Characteristic SAR patterns that emerge from the graph are easily identified.

Graph mining for SAR transfer series.

The transfer of SAR information from one analog series to another is a difficult, yet highly attractive task in medicinal chemistry. At present, the evaluation of SAR transfer potential from a data mining perspective is still in its infancy. Only recently, a first computational approach has been introduced to evaluate SAR transfer events.