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The mysterious hijacking of proteins: How Craig Crews is using PROTAC technology to change the future of medicine?
In today's medical research, Craig Crews's name is gradually becoming the focus. He is a professor of chemical biology at Yale University and is widely recognized for a technology called PROTAC. PROTAC, or "Protein Degradation-Induced Approach," uses special molecules to induce the interaction of two proteins in cells, thereby triggering the degradation of specific proteins. This process is called targeted protein degradation (TPD). In the future, this technology is expected to bring breakthroughs to many difficult-to-treat diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
The invention of PROTAC gives us the opportunity to attack "stealth" proteins that were previously considered untreatable, opening a new door for our research.
Crews’ academic background and research experience
Craig Crews was born in 1964 and received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Virginia in 1986. He then conducted research at the University of Tübingen in Germany, followed by graduate studies at Harvard University. Before joining Yale University as an assistant professor, Crews served as a fellowship researcher at the Institute of Cancer Research. Crews' academic career has focused on controlling protein homeostasis, affecting protein turnover within cells.
In 2001, Crews collaborated with Ray Deshaies to develop PROTAC, an innovative technology for inducing protein degradation. PROTAC is a bifunctional molecule that recruits specific intracellular proteins into the cell's quality control machinery, using E3 ubiquitin ligases to trigger subsequent degradation. As this technology advances, Crews' research has also had a profound impact on the future direction of cancer treatment.
PROTAC's technology not only targets known drug-resistant proteins, but also gives us hope for treatment, which is beyond the reach of traditional small molecule drugs.
Applications and challenges of PROTAC
The main significance of PROTAC technology is that it allows many proteins that were once considered "untreatable" to become new drug targets. Taking ARV-471 as an example, PROTAC in this clinical trial stage has proven its potential in targeting estrogen receptors, and during its development process it has received the attention and cooperation of large companies such as Pfizer.
However, although PROTAC shows exciting promise, it still faces challenges during its development. The large size of PROTAC molecules makes achieving oral usability in clinical trials a challenge. In addition, how to effectively control the specificity and activity of PROTAC is also a technical bottleneck that researchers need to overcome.
Continued investment and research will determine whether PROTAC technology can be translated into widely used clinical treatments.
Biotechnology companies and the future of PROTAC
As of 2023, Crews has founded a number of biotechnology companies, including Arvinas, which uses PROTAC technology to develop anti-cancer drugs. Their research not only contributed to a variety of difficult-to-treat diseases, but also promoted the clinical application of PROTAC technology to a certain extent. In addition to pursuing treatments for cancer, Arvinas' research and development also involves other therapeutic areas such as neurodegenerative diseases.
In addition, Crews also established Halda Therapeutics to focus on the development of RIPTAC (controlled induced proximity target fusion proteins). These new drugs will expand the scope of impact discovered by the CREWS laboratory and represent new ideas in the fight against cancer.
We are witnessing a revolution in drug discovery and protein regulation that will change our fundamental understanding of treatment.
Looking to the future
With the further development of PROTAC technology, we will see its application in cancer and other medical fields becoming more and more widespread in the future. Crews' research not only represents a breakthrough in science and technology, but also is the best example of continuous dedication to scientific exploration and medical improvement. In the future of protein therapy, we can't help but think: Will this technology become an important weapon for us to defeat the most difficult diseases today?
