For over two decades, the Crews Lab has explored using chemical approaches to control cellular systems. This is best exemplified by the new field of Targeted Protein Degradation and our role in the development of the proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib / Kyprolis® and Proteolysis Targeting Chimera
(PROTACs). We continue to be interested in the design and development of bifunctional small molecules to harness biological systems.
PROTACs: Inducing Targeted Protein Degradation
Our Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology hijacks the cellular quality control machinery to tag unwanted intracellular proteins for degradation. With better pharmaceutic properties than siRNA and CRISPR, PROTACs offer a new therapeutic modality by degrading pathogenic proteins.