preclinical

adjective

pre·​clin·​i·​cal (ˌ)prē-ˈkli-ni-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or concerned with the period preceding clinical manifestations

2

: of, relating to, or being the period in medical or dental education preceding the clinical study of medicine or dentistry

3

: occurring prior to clinical testing

a preclinical animal study of a new therapy

Examples of preclinical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Company is seeking potential acquirers for its remaining preclinical and clinical assets. —Charlotte Observer, 19 Apr. 2024

In preclinical models, this halted lupus kidney disease progression. —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024

Although clinical trials are still needed, the hydrogel shows excellent potential in preclinical studies, offering hope for patients with retinitis pigmentosa. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

Results so far, both in preclinical studies as well as the Phase 1 trial, have been promising, Galvin said. —Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2024

The species had the virtue of being slightly nicer (less likely to bite handlers) and smaller (saving money on drugs in preclinical studies) than the rhesus macaque. —Erika Fry, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2024

The incubator, called the Breakthrough Innovation Alliance, will give up to $1 million apiece to 10 different research initiatives over the next three years, allowing scientists and entrepreneurs to run preclinical research to determine whether the ideas hold any promise. —Allison Deangelis, STAT, 29 Nov. 2023

Caraway’s drug candidates, targeting Parkinson’s disease, are in preclinical development. —Damian Garde, STAT, 21 Nov. 2023

At that point, Burroughs Wellcome scientists balked at handling the materials needed to conduct the preclinical and initial clinical trials. —Daniel J. Kevles, The New York Review of Books, 5 Oct. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

preclinical

adjective

pre·​clin·​i·​cal (ˈ)prē-ˈklin-i-kəl 

1

a

: of, relating to, concerned with, or being the period preceding clinical manifestations

the preclinical stage of diabetes mellitus

b

: occurring prior to a clinical trial

preclinical animal testing to assess a drug's safety

2

: of, relating to, or being the period in medical or dental education preceding the clinical study of medicine or dentistry

the preclinical years

specifically : of or relating to the early period of prescribed medical or dental study devoted to the basic sciences (as anatomy, physiology, and pathology)

preclinical studies

3

: of, relating to, or being a science basic to medicine

research in the preclinical sciences