How drug-like are 'ugly' drugs: do drug-likeness metrics predict ADME behaviour in humans?

•The QED drug-likeness score can predict some drug ADME parameters in humans.•High QED drugs exhibit higher absorption and bioavailability than low QED drugs.•High QED drugs have fewer drug–drug interactions and P-glycoprotein effects.•High and low QED drugs exhibit the same distribution and elimination behaviour.•High and low QED drugs have similar free fractions in plasma.