A Scalable, Direct‐to‐Biology Platform for Accelerated Discovery of Cereblon‐Based Molecular Glue Degraders

ABSTRACT Molecular glue degraders (MGDs) offer transformative potential for expanding the druggable proteome; however, their discovery is severely impeded by mechanistic complexities that hinder rational design and synthetic bottlenecks that restrict the scale and diversity of E3 ligase‐centric compound libraries. Here, we introduce a general framework that transforms MGD discovery from a serendipity‐driven endeavor into a systematic, scalable pipeline by integrating modular, in situ library assembly with direct‐to‐biology phenotypic screening. Powered by biocompatible primary amine‐based photoclick chemistry, this platform enables the efficient, purification‐free generation of over 1000 structurally diverse cereblon (CRBN)‐centric molecules within days directly in multi‐well plates, facilitating a seamless transition from chemical synthesis to biological evaluation. Applying this strategy, we rapidly identified novel CRBN‐based MGDs that potently and selectively degrade GSPT1 or CK1α, as well as a multi‐target degrader of GSPT1/2 and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD). Crucially, our integrated validation highlights targeted CK1α degradation as a promising therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer. By leveraging the abundance and structural diversity of primary amines, this scalable platform expands the accessible chemical space, circumventing the complexities of de novo rational design. Ultimately, this work provides a streamlined engine for harnessing diverse E3 ligases, accelerating the development of next‐generation MGDs to tackle intractable diseases.

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Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie
Published
2026-05-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.3518516
Primary Topic
Protein Degradation and Inhibitors
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

A Scalable, Direct‐to‐Biology Platform for Accelerated Discovery of Cereblon‐Based Molecular Glue Degraders

Ye-Kai Xu, Dongxin Zhao, Hui‐Jun Nie, Yijia Chi et al.
Angewandte Chemie
Protein Degradation and Inhibitors
article

A Scalable, Direct‐to‐Biology Platform for Accelerated Discovery of Cereblon‐Based Molecular Glue Degraders

Ye-Kai Xu, Dongxin Zhao, Hui‐Jun Nie, Yijia Chi, Minjia Tan, Linhui Zhai, Jiayu Zhang, Guoqiang Yin, Yi-Xiang Wang, Chu‐Cheng Zhou, Yang Chen, Shuting Meng, Zhi‐Gao Zhang, Zhi‐Peng Zhou, Xiao‐Hua Chen, Yuan‐Peng Feng, An Xu
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Molecular glue degraders (MGDs) offer transformative potential for expanding the druggable proteome; however, their discovery is severely impeded by mechanistic complexities that hinder rational design and synthetic bottlenecks that restrict the scale and diversity of E3 ligase‐centric compound libraries. Here, we introduce a general framework that transforms MGD discovery from a serendipity‐driven endeavor into a systematic, scalable pipeline by integrating modular, in situ library assembly with direct‐to‐biology phenotypic screening. Powered by biocompatible primary amine‐based photoclick chemistry, this platform enables the efficient, purification‐free generation of over 1000 structurally diverse cereblon (CRBN)‐centric molecules within days directly in multi‐well plates, facilitating a seamless transition from chemical synthesis to biological evaluation. Applying this strategy, we rapidly identified novel CRBN‐based MGDs that potently and selectively degrade GSPT1 or CK1α, as well as a multi‐target degrader of GSPT1/2 and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD). Crucially, our integrated validation highlights targeted CK1α degradation as a promising therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer. By leveraging the abundance and structural diversity of primary amines, this scalable platform expands the accessible chemical space, circumventing the complexities of de novo rational design. Ultimately, this work provides a streamlined engine for harnessing diverse E3 ligases, accelerating the development of next‐generation MGDs to tackle intractable diseases.

Angewandte Chemie
Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (CN), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Henan University of Engineering (CN), Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (CN), Institute for Advanced Study (DE), Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology (CN), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Openalex Percentile: Top 9%
Protein Degradation and Inhibitors
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