Protac:
PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras, or PROTACS for short, are two separate molecules bound together to form a two headed molecule. One end binds to an ubiquitin ligase, while the other end binds to the “undruggable” protein targeted by pharmacologists. In illustrations, PROTACs are often depicted as dumbbells, but it may be more helpful to think of them as flexible harnesses. [“What are PROTACs and How Do They Treat Diseases?“, Robert Birchard, The New York Academy of Sciences]
Noted in “A new kind of drug will help fight previously untreatable conditions,” Michael Le Page, NewScientist (8 August 2026; paywall):
I think we will look back at 2026 as a landmark in medicine, the year in which the first protac drug was approved. What’s special about protacs? Well, while most drugs simply block their targets, protacs utterly demolish them. Per molecule, protacs are far more potent, and they can also do things other drugs just can’t.
