ProTAC

Protac, short for proteolysis-targeting chimera, is a class of drugs designed to induce the degradation of specific proteins within cells. This is achieved by creating a fusion protein that combines a degradation signal with the protein of interest. The fusion protein is recognized by the proteasome, a cellular machinery responsible for protein degradation, leading to the targeted protein's elimination. Protacs are particularly useful in treating diseases where the abnormal presence of a specific protein is detrimental. They offer a targeted approach to protein degradation, minimizing off-target effects compared to traditional proteasome inhibitors. The development of protacs has opened new avenues in drug discovery, providing a mechanism to selectively degrade proteins that are difficult to target with conventional therapies. This approach has shown promise in various therapeutic areas, including oncology, neurology, and metabolic disorders. However, the field is still in its early stages, and ongoing research is focused on optimizing the design and efficacy of protac molecules.