Small‐molecule PROTACS: new approaches to protein degradation

M Toure, CM Crews - Angewandte Chemie International …, 2016 - Wiley Online Library
M Toure, CM Crews
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2016Wiley Online Library
The current inhibitor‐based approach to therapeutics has inherent limitations owing to its
occupancy‐based model: 1) there is a need to maintain high systemic exposure to ensure
sufficient in vivo inhibition, 2) high in vivo concentrations bring potential for off‐target side
effects, and 3) there is a need to bind to an active site, thus limiting the drug target space. As
an alternative, induced protein degradation lacks these limitations. Based on an event‐
driven model, this approach offers a novel catalytic mechanism to irreversibly inhibit protein …
Abstract
The current inhibitor‐based approach to therapeutics has inherent limitations owing to its occupancy‐based model: 1) there is a need to maintain high systemic exposure to ensure sufficient in vivo inhibition, 2) high in vivo concentrations bring potential for off‐target side effects, and 3) there is a need to bind to an active site, thus limiting the drug target space. As an alternative, induced protein degradation lacks these limitations. Based on an event‐driven model, this approach offers a novel catalytic mechanism to irreversibly inhibit protein function by targeting protein destruction through recruitment to the cellular quality control machinery. Prior protein degrading strategies have lacked therapeutic potential. However, recent reports of small‐molecule‐based proteolysis‐targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have demonstrated that this technology can effectively decrease the cellular levels of several protein classes.
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