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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

High-Throughput Cellular Profiling of Targeted Protein Degradation Compounds Using HiBiT CRISPR Cell Lines
Published on: November 9, 2020
Evolving CRBN ligands enhance the drug-like properties of protein degraders
Xin-Qian Ji1, Lin Wang2, Xing-Jie Dai1
1State Key Laboratory of Metabolic Dysregulation & Prevention and Treatment of Esophageal Cancer, Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Henan Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
Abstract:
Proteolysis-targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) enable event-driven degradation of disease-relevant proteins by hijacking the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Cereblon (CRBN) is the most widely exploited recruiter due to its well-characterised binding pocket and strong clinical precedent from immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs). However, early CRBN ligands have suboptimal pharmacokinetics, off-target neosubstrate degradation, immunomodulatory liabilities, and resistance mechanisms, which restrict the drug-like properties of CRBN-based degraders. This review systematically summarises CRBN ligand evolution and how chemical innovations improved PROTAC drug-likeness. We discuss classical IMiD-based ligands and their clinical translation, followed by next-generation recruiters, including non-IMiD scaffolds, conformationally constrained tricyclic and spirocyclic ligands, cyclic imides, covalent ligands, and stimuli-responsive designs. We highlight expanding application of novel CRBN ligands in molecular glue degrader development. Finally, key challenges and future directions for achieving selective, durable, and clinically viable CRBN-mediated protein degradation are discussed.
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