AB-31

AB-31 is a small molecule Autophagy-Targeting Chimera (AUTOTAC) being developed by Autotac Bio for the treatment of lung cancer. It is designed to selectively degrade Ras proteins by recruiting them to the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Unlike traditional Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) that utilize the ubiquitin-proteasome system, the AUTOTAC platform employs bifunctional molecules that bind both a target protein and the p62/SQSTM1 autophagy receptor. This recruitment leads to the sequestration of the target protein into autophagosomes and its subsequent degradation. This mechanism is particularly intended to address 'undruggable' targets like Ras, which have historically been difficult to inhibit with conventional small molecule antagonists.