Insilico Medicine and Huadong Medicine Company have unveiled potent small-molecule inhibitors targeting the WDR5-MYC protein–protein interaction, a breakthrough enabled by generative AI and physics-driven modeling.
MYC, a key oncogenic driver in human cancers, historically deemed 'undruggable,' operates through protein–protein interactions like WDR5-MYC, rendering it a challenging drug target.
By leveraging Insilico's generative AI platform, Chemistry42, novel compounds were designed to disrupt the MYC-WDR5 complex, with compounds 8 and 9 showcasing notable inhibitory potency improvements.
Further optimization using physics-based modeling led to the development of lead compound 9c-1, demonstrating a significant 35-fold increase in inhibitory activity, highlighting its potential in cancer therapy.
The success of this AI-driven approach signifies a paradigm shift in drug discovery by efficiently targeting traditionally 'undruggable' proteins, such as MYC, through precise small-molecule design.
Insilico Medicine's innovative integration of AI and molecular modeling accelerates drug discovery timelines, optimizing lead identification and compound generation for complex targets like PPIs.
The WDR5-MYC inhibitors represent a groundbreaking strategy to disrupt oncogenic pathways through protein interaction modulation, offering new therapeutic avenues for challenging targets in oncology.
The study's translational potential lies in advancing lead compound 9c-1 for preclinical evaluations in cancer models, with implications for treating MYC-driven malignancies across various cancer types.
This collaborative research exemplifies the transformative impact of AI-driven generative chemistry and physics-based modeling in uncovering novel therapeutic agents, revolutionizing drug discovery methodologies.
The successful application of AI technologies in identifying small-molecule inhibitors for the WDR5-MYC interaction underscores the promise of rational PPI drug design and expands the landscape of therapeutic interventions in oncology and beyond.
Insilico Medicine's leadership in AI applications for drug design, highlighted by the development of novel WDR5 inhibitors, showcases the potential of AI-driven approaches in creating next-generation medicines with enhanced efficacy and specificity.