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ScienceQuiet 9d · day 10

Researchers develop light-activated protein-degradation cages

New RuPHOTAC technology uses red light to control when disease-fighting molecules attack proteins, potentially reducing harmful side effects.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 7d ago6 pieces Google NewsMastodonNewswires

What to know

  • Researchers have developed RuPHOTACs, light-activated molecular cages that control when protein-degrading drugs become active in the body.
  • The technology addresses a major limitation of existing PROTAC drugs: their inability to target specific tissues, which causes systemic side effects.
  • By using low-energy red light to activate the cages only in illuminated tissue, RuPHOTACs could enable safer, more localized cancer and disease treatments.

Edith C. (Phoebe) Glazer Professor of chemistry, North Carolina State University

Researchers develop light-activated protein-degradation cages
sflorg.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 3 pieces in 3h at Oct 29, 2 PM; 6 pieces over 10 days (5 articles · 1 post) Oct 29, 2 PM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Google News 2, Mastodon 1Oct 29, 5 PM — quietOct 29, 8 PM — quietOct 29, 11 PM — quietOct 30, 2 AM — quietOct 30, 5 AM — quietOct 30, 8 AM — quietOct 30, 11 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Newswires 1Oct 30, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Oct 30, 5 PM — quietOct 30, 8 PM — quietOct 30, 11 PM — quietOct 31, 2 AM — quietOct 31, 5 AM — quietOct 31, 8 AM — quietOct 31, 11 AM — quietOct 31, 2 PM — quietOct 31, 5 PM — quietOct 31, 8 PM — quietOct 31, 11 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 4 AM — quietNov 1, 7 AM — quietNov 1, 10 AM — quietNov 1, 1 PM — quietNov 1, 4 PM — quietNov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 10 PM — quietNov 2, 1 AM — quietNov 2, 4 AM — quietNov 2, 7 AM — quietNov 2, 10 AM — quietNov 2, 1 PM — quietNov 2, 4 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 10 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 4 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quiet 1
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  1. 1

    Mechanism addresses side-effect problem in protein-degradation therapies

    The RuPHOTAC technology solves a critical limitation of conventional PROTACs: their inability to target specific tissues. Most disease-associated proteins also perform important functions in healthy cells, so systemic protein degradation causes unwanted side effects. RuPHOTACs enable selective activation only in illuminated tissue.

    “The problem is there are very few targets—like aberrant proteins—that are only found in cancer. Most of the time, the proteins are important for our healthy tissues too. So we need a 'cage'; that is, a way to control when and where these PROTACs are activated.”
    — Edith C. (Phoebe) Glazer
    • sflorg@mastodon.social

      RuPHOTACs are light-activated molecular cages that keep protein-degrading drug molecules inactive until they are exposed to low-energy red light. # MolecularChemistry # Photochemistry # Pharmacology # CellularBiology # sflorg https://www. sflorg.com/2026/10/chm10292601 .html

      sflorg@mastodon.socialMastodon9d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  2. background

    Researchers announce RuPHOTAC light-activated protein cages — Researchers have created a molecular cage called RuPHOTACs (ruthenium-based PHOToActivated Chimeras) that keeps protein-degrading drug molecules inactive until exposed to low-energy red light. The technology uses a ruthenium metal complex to physically block the drug from acting until light removes the cage.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

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