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New Protein-Like Polymers Target, Degrade “Undruggable” Proteins Driving Cancer

Researchers at Northwestern University have created HYDRACs, hybrid degrading copolymers that bind and eliminate traditionally "undruggable" oncogenic proteins such as MYC and KRAS. The polymers display target‑recognizing peptides on one side and degron motifs on the other, directing the proteins to the cell’s degradation machinery. In vitro, HYDRACs selectively removed MYC and KRAS, shutting down oncogenic pathways and inducing cancer cell death; in mouse models they accumulated in tumors and slowed growth. The platform promises a versatile route to degrade diverse disease‑causing proteins without needing defined binding pockets.