Drugmakers are betting big that a new way to remove bad proteins inside cells could reshape the treatment of cancer and other diseases. “Protein degraders” drugs not only block troublesome proteins, The Wall Street Journal reports; they mark them for destruction using the cell’s own waste disposal system, potentially reaching targets that have long eluded conventional medicines.
The FDA has approved a few of these drugs, including Pfizer’s breast cancer treatment Veppanu and Bristol Myers Squibb’s multiple myeloma drug Zenbexus, although questions remain about their scope and whether they might also eliminate healthy proteins. About 200 degradants are currently in development worldwide, with more than $5 billion in deals closed since 2021, as companies test them in cancer, autoimmune diseases and certain conditions including Parkinson’s disease.
Gn Health
