preclinical

American  

[pree-klin-i-kuhl] / priˈklɪn ɪ kəl /

adjective

Medicine/Medical.

1. of or relating to the period prior to the appearance of the symptoms.

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preclinical British  

/ priːˈklɪnɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or occurring during the early phases of a disease before accurate diagnosis is possible

2. of, relating to, or designating an early period of scientific study by a medical student before practical experience with patients

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Other Word Forms

• preclinically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of preclinical

First recorded in 1930–35; pre- + clinical

Example Sentences

Additional preclinical and clinical studies will be required to determine whether these results can be reproduced in humans and to establish the most effective dosing strategies.

From Science Daily • May 4, 2026

A preclinical study is expected to begin next year, marking an important step toward potentially bringing this therapy to more patients.

From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2026

Moreover, the company accused Erasca of drawing improper comparisons between preclinical data for ERAS-0015 and daraxonrasib.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Students have received less rigorous preclinical education in genetics, biochemistry and epidemiology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

These candidates have shown encouraging results in preclinical studies, and seven SNA based drugs have advanced into human clinical trials for various diseases.

From Science Daily • Feb. 18, 2026