Target Product Profiles and Target Candidate Profiles

(1.5min read)

A target product profile (TPP) is a living document created by a drug discovery project team to provide clarity on what is required of a product to combat a particular disease. The document can be amended at any stage of the drug discovery process to reflect new learnings and developments about the disease.

A TPP (Figure 1) provides information regarding intended use, efficacy, target populations, administration as well as other important attributes. This information is not only useful to a project team but also regulatory authorities and funding agencies.

**Figure 1 An example Target Product Profile (TPP)**

A TPP should not be mistaken for a Target Candidate Profile (TCP). A TCP (Figure 2) provides information specific to the designed product that addresses the needs of the TPP, e.g. acceptable potency/efficacy, rate of clearance, solubility etc.

**Figure 2 Example of Target Candidate Profile (TCP)**

It is highly recommended to have both a TPP and TCP for any drug discovery project. By providing guidance and known cut-offs can assist in selecting those projects that are more likely to succeed.