designer drug

American  

noun

1. a drug produced by a minor modification in the chemical structure of an existing drug, resulting in a new substance with similar pharmacologic effects, especially one created to achieve the same effect as a controlled or illegal drug.

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designer drug British  

noun

1. any of various narcotic or hallucinogenic substances manufactured illegally from a range of chemicals

2. med a drug designed to act on a specific molecular target

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designer drug Scientific  

/ dĭ-zī′nər /

1. Any of various drugs with properties and effects similar to a known hallucinogen or narcotic but having a slightly altered chemical structure, especially such a drug created in order to evade restrictions against illegal substances.

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designer drug Cultural  

1. A drug that is manufactured to target a specific molecule in the body, for example, to treat a specific disease or condition.

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Discover More

Some believe that these drugs are the future of the pharmaceutical industry, in that a drug will be tailored to an individual's unique genome.

Etymology

Origin of designer drug

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

To help streamline the work, Wishart and his colleagues used a type of artificial intelligence called deep learning to create an algorithm that identifies potential designer drugs that may not yet even exist.

From Scientific American

Eutylone, a synthetic drug sometimes known as “bath salts,” is similar to designer drugs sold on the streets as Ecstasy or Molly.

From Washington Times

“The pills were later identified as Flualprazolam, a rare designer drug,” the District Attorney’s office statement said.

From Washington Times

“This is not a designer drug. This is something we know the lung needs and uses.”

From Seattle Times

Eutylone is a stimulant that officials consider a novel designer drug.

From Seattle Times