Markus Queisser (GlaxoSmithKline) and Anastasia Velentza (Plexium), Chairs
Proximity-induced Pharmacology for New Modalities require specialized assays and knowledge for the development and optimization of the proximity-based molecules in addition to the traditional assay and screening cascades in drug discovery.
Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) have pivotal roles in life processes. Aberrant PPIs are associated with various diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, targeting PPIs is a direction in treating diseases and an essential strategy for the development of new drugs. By contrast, PPI stabilization has remained largely underexplored but became recently the focus of induced proximity modalities such Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) where small molecules mediate and stabilize PPIs, i.e Molecular glue degraders and natural products have demonstrated the therapeutic value of stabilizing native or non-native PPIs. Stabilization has the potential to target unstructured, difficult to drug proteins via composite PPI binding pockets. These modalities require specialized assays and a plethora of new assay formats have been recently developed to identify and characterise neomorphic PPIs.
The objective of our TIG is to facilitate and promote the exchange of knowledge and experience with proximity assays i.e in Targeted Protein Degradation and Protein-Protein Interactions, setting standards and educate the field. The TIG will meet several times annually and communicate progress through SLAS. Metric for success is the agreement to standards which are adopted by the field.