ProScript

ProScript was a Cambridge-based biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing small molecule drugs that target the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The company is most famous for the discovery of bortezomib, which became the first-in-class proteasome inhibitor Velcade. ProScript's research focused on how the degradation of specific proteins could be used to treat cancer and various inflammatory conditions. Despite its scientific success, the company faced financial challenges and was acquired by LeukoSite in 1999 for a modest sum. Following a series of further acquisitions by Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Takeda, Velcade went on to become a multi-billion dollar blockbuster drug for multiple myeloma. The company's legacy remains a cornerstone of modern oncology and proteasome research.