LOCKTACs comprise a subset of proximity drugs that stabilize naturally existing complexes. (A) Categories of proximity-based drugs. (B) Mechanism of PROTAC drugs. (C) LOCKTAC acting within a protein-protein interface. (D) LOCKTAC acting adjacent to a protein-protein interface. (E) Heterobifunctional LOCKTAC that does not bind at protein-protein interface. (F) Allosteric drugs induce conformational changes at a distance and are not LOCKTACs.
A new #ScienceReview looks at a different approach to drug discovery that may enable drugging of unconventional targets through stabilization of macromolecular complexes with molecules known as “LOCKTACs.”
Learn more: https://scim.ag/4lC2aCM
22.08.2025 18:36
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What if treating disease meant stabilizing biology, not blocking it? We explore that idea in @ScienceMagazine with LOCKTAC molecular glues, a new class of molecules that stabilize natural interactions to either boost or block biology.
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…shorturl.at/976aj
#mycompnay
22.08.2025 04:29
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Our latest paper w/ @pottslab.bsky.social & @amgen.bsky.social in @jacs.acspublications.org by co-first authors @cmzammit.bsky.social & Cory Nadel on discovery of covalent destabilizing degrader of AR & AR-V7 in prostate cancer. Thanks also to @themarkfdn.bsky.social ! pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
10.06.2025 04:26
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Fabulous! Unfortunately, I’ll have to be there in spirit 👕 this year! Hoping to join at the next world tour 🚌 stop.
03.06.2025 16:58
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Join Chemsymposia 2026: Research & Innovation | ChemSymposia 2026
Join us at Chemsymposia 2026 to discover groundbreaking research in physics applications. Connect with experts, engage in insightful discussions, and explore our venue, registration details, and speak...
SCAM ALERT. This is a fake conference that ripped off my and other people’s names to trick people into registering. There is no such conference that I or the others shown were invited or agreed to. We are working to try to get this fraud taken down from the web.
chemsymposia.com
11.04.2025 16:35
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Now we’re finally talking!
www.politico.com/news/2025/03...
28.03.2025 01:19
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.@pottslab.bsky.social @amgen.bsky.social demonstrate proof-of-concept of disease-specific targeted degradation by redirecting virally encoded E3 ubiquitin ligases with VIPER-TACs. http://dlvr.it/TJgF0r
21.03.2025 14:02
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We anticipate that unbiased phenotypic screening in combination with biased E3-focused small molecule libraries will continue to be a fruitful approach to molecular glue discovery. This amazing work comes from a large team at @amgen.bsky.social in collaboration w/ @PlexiumTx. Congrats to all
21.03.2025 04:17
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SAR analysis provided the opportunity to directly test the impact of altering k-on and k-off rates, which revealed that slow k-off as far more important than fast k-on for degradation activity. 7/8
21.03.2025 04:17
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Comprehensive mutational analysis revealed the GEMIN3 degron by which dGEM3 mediates recognition by VHL. 6/8
21.03.2025 04:17
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We extensively characterize the properties of dGEM3 to show biochemical reconstitution of the VHL:dGEM3:GEMIN3 ternary complex and ubiquitination consistent with a molecular glue without pre-existing affinity between VHL and GEMIN3. 5/7
21.03.2025 04:17
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Proteomics analysis reveals dGEM3 is a highly selective degrader and the direct target is the SMN complex protein GEMIN3. 4/8
21.03.2025 04:17
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We discover dGEM3 as a VHL-based molecular glue causing significant gene expression changes. 3/8
21.03.2025 04:17
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We use an innovative gene expression read out approach to do target-agnostic screening of a focused 26,000 VHL ligand library for molecular glue degraders. 2/8
21.03.2025 04:17
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Check out this cover highlighting @amgen.bsky.social postdoc Kyle Mangano’s work on VIPER-TACs! 🐍
20.03.2025 19:21
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Thrilled to share the structure of dimerised human PINK1 docked to an endogenous translocase array on the mitochondrial surface, composed of two TOM complexes, bridged by a VDAC2 dimer! Published today in Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@wehi-research.bsky.social @komanderlab.bsky.social
13.03.2025 19:19
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Online now! @pottslab.bsky.social @amgen.bsky.social demonstrate proof-of-concept of disease-specific targeted degradation by redirecting virally encoded E3 ubiquitin ligases with VIPER-TACs. http://dlvr.it/TJLmvh
05.03.2025 21:15
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Thanks to all co-authors on this amazing Amgen-UCBerkeley Molecular Therapeutics Initiative collaboration, especially Charlotte Zammit, Cory Nadel, Ying Lin, and Sajjan Koirala. 7/7
18.02.2025 19:18
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Overall, these results indicated that EN1441 is a pathfinding molecule that directly engages AR-v7 Cys125, leading to destabilization and aggregation and the subsequent inhibition of AR transcriptional activity and ultimately ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation. 6/7
18.02.2025 19:18
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Detailed mechanistic studies revealed that EN1441 promotes AR-v7 insolubility leading to aggregation that precedes degradation. 5/7
18.02.2025 19:18
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Further studies revealed that EN1441 inhibits AR-v7 transcriptional activity, leading to gene expression changes consistent with AR pathway inhibition. Importantly, this inhibition is more complete compared to therapies that only inhibit full-length AR and not AR-v7. 4/7
18.02.2025 19:18
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EN1441 directly engages AR-v7 Cys125 and causes proteasome-dependent degradation. 3/7
18.02.2025 19:18
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AR is a heavily drugged target in prostate cancer. A splice variant AR-v7 the occurs during the natural progression of disease has been challenging to drug. We performed a screen for AR-v7 degraders using a covalent fragment library leading to discovery of EN1441. 2/7
18.02.2025 19:18
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