Drugging RNA
Some medicinal chemists have changed their focus from proteins to target RNA, finds Rachel Brazil
The majority of drugs prescribed today target proteins, and medicinal chemists have built up decades of expertise in designing them. But there are a small number of important drug molecules that target RNA. RNA-targeting drugs are again on the agenda, now also seeking human RNA targets. Oligonucleotide drugs are leading the way, but chemists are also now pursuing small molecule approaches, opening up new avenues to RNA therapeutics.