Crook ZR, Nairn NW, Olson JM. Miniproteins as a Powerful Modality in Drug Development.
Trends Biochem Sci 2020;
45:332-346. [PMID:
32014389 PMCID:
PMC7197703 DOI:
10.1016/j.tibs.2019.12.008]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Miniproteins are a diverse group of protein scaffolds characterized by small (1-10 kDa) size, stability, and versatility in drug-like roles. Coming largely from native sources, they have been widely adopted into drug development pipelines. While their structures and capabilities are diverse, the approaches to their utilization share more similarities with each other than with more widely used modalities (e.g., antibodies or small molecules). In this review, we highlight recent advances in miniprotein-based approaches to otherwise poorly addressed clinical needs, including structure-based and functional characterization. We also summarize their unique screening strategies and pharmacology considerations. Through a greater understanding of the unique properties that make them attractive for drug design, miniproteins can be effectively utilized against targets that are intractable by other approaches.
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