Trailblazing a New Frontier in Drug Discovery
Drugging the UPS pathway
The ubiquitin-proteasomal system (UPS) is the major intracellular mechanism controlling protein stability. Using small molecules to manipulate the UPS therefore provides a way of accelerating the removal of harmful proteins, or potentially amplifying the levels of beneficial ones. Specificity in the UPS is achieved by the action of > 600 unique E3 ligases, most of which remain poorly characterized. Here at Coloma Therapeutics, we have developed strategies that harness the cells’ natural protein disposal machinery to manipulate the level of previously ‘undruggable’ protein targets known to cause human disease.
Our proprietary PROSPECTOR Platform can rapidly identify small molecule ligand binders to a wide array of proteins of interest (POIs). At Coloma, we have combined our high throughput, unbiased PROSPECTOR Platform with our expertise in E3 biology, HTS assay development, in-silico modeling/screening and multi-omics. Together, this provides a means to both rapidly expand the current number of druggable E3 ligases, as well as a rational prospective strategy to identify novel molecular degraders.
Our Pipeline
Coloma is advancing multiple novel molecule degraders. These small molecules (< 400 Da) inhibit previously undruggable targets strongly linked to human disease.
Learn more about our therapeutic programs