Protein Degradation
Protein Degradation
What is protein degradation?
The control of protein levels is accomplished with a small molecule drug called a degrader. Degraders take advantage of natural cellular processes where the overall outcome is the destruction of the protein by natural degradation pathways such as the proteasome and the lysosome.
Degraders are different than inhibitors
An inhibitor typically blocks the activity of a target protein temporarily. A degrader is able to eliminate disease-causing proteins through proteasomal or lysosomal degradation of the target protein. A degrader can target proteins that do not have identified binding sites and therefore, can target proteins typically considered “undruggable.”