Protein Degraders Could Change Disease Treatment
Newser • • health
Key Points:
- Drugmakers are investing heavily in "protein degrader" drugs that eliminate harmful proteins by tagging them for destruction via the cell's waste-disposal system, offering a novel approach to treating cancer and other diseases.
- Unlike traditional drugs that block proteins, these degraders can potentially target proteins previously considered undruggable, expanding therapeutic possibilities.
- The FDA has approved several protein degrader drugs, including Pfizer's Veppanu for breast cancer and Bristol Myers Squibb's Zenbexus for multiple myeloma, though questions remain about their specificity and potential impact on healthy proteins.
- Approximately 200 protein degrader drugs are currently in development globally, with over $5 billion in deals since 2021, targeting a range of diseases such as cancers, autoimmune disorders, and Parkinson's disease.
