A panel of researchers and experts from leading universities and major pharmaceutical companies from all over the world systematically describe cutting-edge experimental protocols for the early in vitro evaluation of new chemical entities (NCE). These readily reproducible assays measure such critical parameters as physicochemical properties, adsorption, plasma binding, metabolism, drug interactions, and toxicity. By uncovering early in the discovery stage the defects that can eliminate candidate drugs from preclinical and clinical development, these techniques can save millions of dollars in time and effort.