Selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM)

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are not individual molecular targets but rather a class of drugs that interact with estrogen receptors. These compounds act as either agonists or antagonists depending on the tissue type, selectively stimulating or inhibiting estrogen-like action in various tissues. SERMs are used therapeutically for conditions such as breast cancer, osteoporosis, and ovulatory dysfunction. Common examples include tamoxifen and raloxifene. The term "estrogen receptor modulator" does not refer to a specific protein or gene but instead describes any compound with this selective activity profile. Therefore, it is not appropriate to treat "Estrogen receptor modulator" as a canonical therapeutic target; the correct targets would be the specific proteins such as "Estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1)" or "Estrogen receptor beta (ESR2)". A selective estrogen receptor modulator is not itself a molecule/receptor but rather denotes any drug that can selectively stimulate or inhibit the activity of an estrogen receptor in different tissues. If you need structured information about the actual biological target(s), use “Estrogen receptor alpha” and/or “Estrogen receptor beta.”

Other names

Estrogen receptor modulatorEstrogen receptor agonist/antagonistERAA