Journal profile · Chemistry, Medicinal
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters
ISSN 0960-894X · eISSN 1464-3405 · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLAND · Semimonthly · Founded 1991
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.25; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,880; median 66 days to acceptance (107 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 50%; 363 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Chemical Synthesis and Analysis, Synthesis and biological activity and Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling, together about 22.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Organic Chemistry and Molecular Biology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
BMCL (Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters) publishes research communications of outstanding significance and timeliness on topics at the interface of chemistry and biology, together with concise review articles and perspectives. BMCL publishes reports of experimental results in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and drug discovery and design, emphasizing new and emerging advances and concepts in these fields. The aim of BMCL is to promote a better understanding at the molecular level of life processes, and living organisms, as well as the interaction of these with chemical agents. BMCL continues to be a major forum for the first publication of new chemical entities prior to them entering clinical trials.BMCL welcomes papers on: the medicinal chemistry and associated biology (including target identification and validation) of established or new disease targetsThe reporting of the discovery, design or optimization of potent new compounds or biological agentsthe analysis and discussion of structure-activity relationships and pharmacological issues relevant to drug design and action using in vitro and in vivo models, including the use of computational techniques when closely linked to experimental datathe reporting of "first-in-class" new therapeutic compoundsthe chemical biology or bioorganic/bioinorganic chemistry that significantly advances knowledge of a biological mechanismmethodological advances that are chemistry-based and which significantly impact on medicine or biologythe preparation and examination of biotherapeutics for the treatment of pathophysiological disease statesthe development of materials for specific therapeutic targetingManuscripts on phytochemistry, theoretical molecular dynamics and exclusively computational papers are out of scope. All manuscripts will be rigorously peer-reviewed by independent experts following an initial assessment by the Editors. Please note that BMCL is not suitable for straightforward reports of incremental advances. Above all the presentation of a rational basis and a sound underlying hypothesis for the work is of particular importance, whatever its exact field.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Chemistry, Medicinal
Editor-in-chief Hang YinPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 9 in mainland China (about 11%); most named United States 28, Mainland China 9, United Kingdom 8, Germany 8, Japan 4 (80 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Chemical Synthesis and AnalysisBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7.9%
- Synthesis and biological activityChemistry7.6%
- Receptor Mechanisms and SignalingBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.6%
- Synthesis and Biological EvaluationChemistry5.9%
- Click Chemistry and ApplicationsChemistry4.9%
- Cancer therapeutics and mechanismsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.9%
- HIV/AIDS drug development and treatmentMedicine4.7%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance4.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Organic | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Medicinal | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Medicinal | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Organic | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Organic | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Medicinal | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.25LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.5LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4.5Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.43LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.57LetPub ·
- h-index
- 133LetPub ·
- h-index
- 182OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 22,785OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.28OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 12.79%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 293LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 32,589 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 212 | 43 | 53 |
| 2025 | 363 | 81 | 620 |
| 2024 | 395 | 245 | 1,543 |
| 2023 | 357 | 187 | 1,784 |
| 2022 | 463 | 246 | 3,838 |
| 2021 | 624 | 264 | 6,822 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
66 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 49 days – 84 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (107 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 67 days
- Sample
- 107 articles with submission and acceptance dates (605 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 2 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 32 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 77 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,880 / EUR 3,630 / GBP 3,110 / JPY 481,240 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,860 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers3, by deadline
- In honor of Professor Benjamin Cravatt for the 2025 Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Bioorganic and Medicinal ChemistryDeadline
- In honor of Professor Jun Wang for the 2026 Tetrahedron Young Investigator Award For Bioorganic and Medicinal ChemistryDeadline
- Advances in Small-Molecule Heterocycles for Precision Therapeutics and Modern Drug DesignDeadline
What to prepare8 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- AMA
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted7
- original research paperShort communications: A concise report of scientific findings that are timely, urgent and of particular significance to the research community. Experimental evi…Length not stated
- perspectiveShort communications: A concise report of scientific findings that are timely, urgent and of particular significance to the research community. Experimental evi…Length not stated
- perspectivesPerspectives: A focused, personalised analysis of a research topic or area, with an emphasis on current activities and challenges, and comments on the future of…Length not stated
- review articleShort communications: A concise report of scientific findings that are timely, urgent and of particular significance to the research community. Experimental evi…Length not stated
- review articlesReview articles: Should provide an authoritative and comprehensive overview of a particular field/topic of research, written in a style that ensures it is acces…Length not stated
- short communicationShort communications: A concise report of scientific findings that are timely, urgent and of particular significance to the research community. Experimental evi…Length not stated
- short communicationsShort communications: A concise report of scientific findings that are timely, urgent and of particular significance to the research community.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1991
- ISSN
- 0960-894X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1464-3405
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters
What CAS zone is Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Chemistry, Organic / Chemistry, Medicinal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.25; CiteScore 4.5, h-index 182.
How long does peer review take at Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters?
Based on the dates recorded on 107 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 66 days (interquartile range 49–84 days); authors report an average review time of about 2 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 50%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: AMA; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Optional; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters based?
Of the 80 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 9 (about 11%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (28), Mainland China (9) and United Kingdom (8). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters open access, and what is the APC?
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,880.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .