Landmark Discovery: Degron Therapeutics Publishes Breakthrough HuR Research in Nature – Unlocking New Therapeutic Potential for BRAF-Mutant Tumors
We are incredibly proud to announce that our portfolio company, Degron Therapeutics, together with Professor Yong Cang's lab at ShanghaiTech University, has published groundbreaking research in the prestigious journal Nature.
The study, Molecular Glue Degraders of HuR Suppress BRAF-Mutant Colorectal Cancer, provides the first-ever mechanistic elucidation of how targeting the RNA-binding protein HuR with molecular glue degraders suppresses BRAF-mutant tumors — laying a solid theoretical foundation for Degron's global first-in-class HuR molecular glue degrader, DEG6498 (currently in Phase I clinical trials).
Key Scientific Breakthroughs:
This landmark study reveals that targeted degradation of the HuR protein using molecular glue degraders:
· Triggers abnormal alternative splicing of BRAF Pre-mRNA, thereby downregulating BRAF protein levels
· Reduces EGFR expression, blocking MAPK pathway reactivation and effectively overcoming acquired resistance commonly seen with BRAF inhibitor therapies
· Demonstrates strong synergy when combined with EGFR, BRAF, or MEK inhibitors, offering a potential new treatment strategy for refractory and relapsed patients
“This publication marks a major milestone in the industry-academia collaborative innovation between Degron Therapeutics and academia,” said Dr. Xiaobing Qian, Chief Medical Officer of Degron. “We are honored to collaborate with Professor Cang's team to validate the molecular mechanisms by which our HuR molecular glue degrader suppresses BRAF-mutant tumors. This work fully demonstrates Degron's ability to not only discover first-in-class drugs against undruggable targets but also to deeply understand target biology and generate foundational scientific insights.”
DEG6498, the first HuR-targeting drug candidate to enter clinical development, is an orally bioavailable small molecule molecular glue degrader that induces interaction between the E3 ubiquitin ligase component Cereblon (CRBN) and HuR, leading to targeted degradation of HuR. It is currently being evaluated in a Phase I study in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT07244835 / CTR20254261).
This Nature publication validates the power of Degron's proprietary GlueXplorer® platform to discover novel molecular glue degraders against previously undruggable targets, while simultaneously generating deep mechanistic insights that guide clinical development.
As an early investor, Co-Win Ventures has supported Degron since its inception in 2021. Seeing the company advance from platform building to first-in-human clinical development — and now to a Nature publication — is a testament to the exceptional scientific vision and execution of the entire team led by Dr. Lihui Zou, Professor Yong Cang, and Dr. Xiaobing Qian.
This is what science-driven, deep-tech venture capital is all about: backing visionary founders who dare to tackle the hardest problems and create transformative solutions for patients.
Congratulations to the entire Degron team on this extraordinary achievement!
The study, Molecular Glue Degraders of HuR Suppress BRAF-Mutant Colorectal Cancer, provides the first-ever mechanistic elucidation of how targeting the RNA-binding protein HuR with molecular glue degraders suppresses BRAF-mutant tumors — laying a solid theoretical foundation for Degron's global first-in-class HuR molecular glue degrader, DEG6498 (currently in Phase I clinical trials).
Key Scientific Breakthroughs:
This landmark study reveals that targeted degradation of the HuR protein using molecular glue degraders:
· Triggers abnormal alternative splicing of BRAF Pre-mRNA, thereby downregulating BRAF protein levels
· Reduces EGFR expression, blocking MAPK pathway reactivation and effectively overcoming acquired resistance commonly seen with BRAF inhibitor therapies
· Demonstrates strong synergy when combined with EGFR, BRAF, or MEK inhibitors, offering a potential new treatment strategy for refractory and relapsed patients
“This publication marks a major milestone in the industry-academia collaborative innovation between Degron Therapeutics and academia,” said Dr. Xiaobing Qian, Chief Medical Officer of Degron. “We are honored to collaborate with Professor Cang's team to validate the molecular mechanisms by which our HuR molecular glue degrader suppresses BRAF-mutant tumors. This work fully demonstrates Degron's ability to not only discover first-in-class drugs against undruggable targets but also to deeply understand target biology and generate foundational scientific insights.”
DEG6498, the first HuR-targeting drug candidate to enter clinical development, is an orally bioavailable small molecule molecular glue degrader that induces interaction between the E3 ubiquitin ligase component Cereblon (CRBN) and HuR, leading to targeted degradation of HuR. It is currently being evaluated in a Phase I study in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT07244835 / CTR20254261).
This Nature publication validates the power of Degron's proprietary GlueXplorer® platform to discover novel molecular glue degraders against previously undruggable targets, while simultaneously generating deep mechanistic insights that guide clinical development.
As an early investor, Co-Win Ventures has supported Degron since its inception in 2021. Seeing the company advance from platform building to first-in-human clinical development — and now to a Nature publication — is a testament to the exceptional scientific vision and execution of the entire team led by Dr. Lihui Zou, Professor Yong Cang, and Dr. Xiaobing Qian.
This is what science-driven, deep-tech venture capital is all about: backing visionary founders who dare to tackle the hardest problems and create transformative solutions for patients.
Congratulations to the entire Degron team on this extraordinary achievement!