Discovery of the First-in-Class Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 PROTAC Degrader

J Med Chem. 2026 Mar 26;69(6):6775-6789. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c03030. Epub 2026 Mar 14.

Abstract

Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) plays a critical role in cancer, yet current PRMT1 modulators lack selectivity and rely on enzymatic inhibition. Here, we developed first-in-class PRMT1-targeting PROTAC degrader compound 4, designed based on the pharmacophore of our previously developed PRMT1 inhibitor. Compound 4 potently induces PRMT1 degradation in a concentration-, time-, and proteasome-dependent manner and exhibits high selectivity, with no detectable degradation of other common CRBN substrates and other type I PRMTs. It also effectively inhibited the growth of multiple cancer cell lines and exhibited a favorable pharmacokinetic profile. Molecular modeling suggests that the unique conformation of the PRMT1 dimerization arm promotes productive ternary complex formation with CRBN, providing a structural basis for selective PRMT1 degradation. Overall, this study demonstrates that compound 4 is a first-in-class PRMT1-targeting PROTAC degrader and highlights its value as a chemical tool for studying PRMT1 biology and its therapeutic potential in PRMT1-dependent cancers.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacokinetics
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Drug Discovery*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors* / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors* / pharmacokinetics
  • Enzyme Inhibitors* / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases* / chemistry
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases* / metabolism
  • Proteolysis / drug effects
  • Repressor Proteins* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Repressor Proteins* / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases
  • PRMT1 protein, human
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Antineoplastic Agents