Most drug developers try to identify small molecules that bind to a target enzyme with high affinity and specificity. Binding usually occurs at the enzymes active site; by nestling into this molecular pocket, the drug blocks binding of the enzyme's natural substrate. Alternatively, the drug binds to the enzyme at a location that is distinct from the active site, thus locking the enzyme into a conformation that either strongly inhibits or activates substrate processing in the active site itself. These two models of binding explain the behaviour of most drugs.
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