News Releases & Research Results Elucidation of the mechanism by which the effects of immunomodulator thalidomide on target proteins are altered through metabolism in the body - Development of drugs with few side effects -

The results of research conducted by Specially Appointed Associate Professor Takuya Miyakawa and Specially Appointed Associate Professor Masaru Tanokura of the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, and Professor Tatsuya Sawazaki of the Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University.

• The mechanism by which the hydroxylated metabolite of “thalidomide,” an immunomodulator to treat multiple myeloma, acts on teratogenic SALL4 protein was elucidated.
• The results of this research project should promote the understanding of the pharmacological action of thalidomide and apply to the development of drugs with few side effects.

This program was conducted with the support of the Platform Project for Supporting Drug Discovery and Life Science Research (BINDS) by AMED.

The results of this research project were published in Nature Communications on September 10.

Furihata H., et al. Structural bases of IMiD selectivity that emerges by 5-hydroxythalidomide Nature Communications
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18488-4