Beyond degradation: TACs that reprogram protein function

Innovators are extending the “induced proximity” logic of PROTACs into non-degradative, event-driven outcomes. The approach can bring a target into proximity with a range of effector types, enabling inhibition, activation, stabilization, or induction/removal of a specific post-translational modification.

While classical PROTACs send intracellular proteins to the proteasome for destruction, with related technologies sending membrane or extracellular proteins to the lysosome, the induced proximity aperture is widening further with non-degrader chimeras. These constructs leave target levels intact while changing post‑translational modifications (PTMs) or protein-protein interactions, which can give proteins new functions...