PhoreMost has published new data validating its GlueSEEKER platform, a high-throughput technology designed to accelerate molecular glue drug discovery. The study outlines a systematic approach to engineering effector proteins, such as E3 ligases, to trigger targeted protein degradation.
The paper, released in BioRxiv, details how GlueSEEKER expands protein surface landscapes to induce novel protein-protein interactions. This enables the rational design of molecular glues, a class of small molecule drugs traditionally discovered through serendipity.
GlueSEEKER integrates high-throughput biological data with computational drug discovery tools to provide blueprints for small molecule development. The study includes an end-to-end case study demonstrating the platform’s capabilities in identifying molecular glue degraders.
PhoreMost’s methodology is applicable to a wide range of effector proteins and therapeutic areas, including oncology and inflammation. The data supports the platform’s potential to accelerate drug development programmes and expand the druggable proteome.
Dr Benedict Cross, CTO, PhoreMost, said: “Molecular glues have now been established as an effective therapeutic modality, but these small molecule drugs have still largely only been found through serendipity. Our GlueSEEKER platform overcomes the challenges associated with monovalent glue discovery, enabling their rational and systematic design from almost any E3 ligase or target.”
Dr Neil Torbett, CEO, PhoreMost, commented: “FDA-approved molecular glues have treated millions of patients and generated billions of dollars in revenue. The advances disclosed within this manuscript demonstrate how GlueSEEKER can radically enable the discovery of new molecular glue therapies, directing this modality towards specific targets across a broad array of E3 ligases.”
Neil added: “GlueSEEKER builds on PhoreMost’s long-standing expertise in mini-protein engineering and high-throughput phenotypic screening.”
