Our Science

Expanding the universe of treatable diseases by harnessing the cell's natural mechanism for enhancing protein function

ENTAC™ drugs in action

At their core, ENTACs — enhancement-targeting chimeras — are molecular matchmakers. These small-molecule drugs bring together beneficial target proteins with enzymes called deubiquitinases, or DUBs, which are key regulators of protein function. DUBs work by selectively shortening or removing chains of a molecule called ubiquitin that are attached to proteins. Whether the target protein is in short supply, is in the wrong place within the cell, or has suboptimal activity, an ENTAC can be designed to recruit a DUB to fix the problem. By introducing each target to the right DUB, ENTACs enhance the function of these crucial proteins — many of which cannot be targeted with existing drugs — ultimately restoring the cell’s health.

Encompass platform

Our proprietary end-to-end Encompass platform integrates powerful biological, chemical, and computational tools to:

  • Efficiently identify disease targets amenable to ENTAC intervention
  • Select an optimal DUB to address the specific target
  • Create specific ENTACs for each target-DUB pair

TARGET SELECTION

TARGET SELECTION

  • Ubiquitin biology-disease atlas
  • Target-specific ubiquitin toolbox
  • Ubiquitin signaling expertise

ENTAC DESIGN

Shape

ENTAC DESIGN

  • Proprietary chemistry
  • Disease-specific assays
  • Mechanistic validation

DUB SELECTION

DUB SELECTION

  • DUB target specificity
  • Tissue-specific DUB expression
  • ENTAC compatibility

Latest news & publications

02/07/2023 News Kelly Bilodeau

Entact Bio’s CEO is leading the company out of stealth and into a new age of protein enhancement

Guiding a young, groundbreaking company to maturity calls for a leader who can strike the right balance between oversight and support. Victoria Richon is hoping to provide just that as the new CEO of Entact Bio, a preclinical biotech that came out of stealth in December...

Shape
01/06/2023 News Dylan Neel

Entact Bio: Victoria Richon, CEO

The language of drug development is often militaristic. Medicinal chemists build arsenals of small molecules—looking for inhibitors or “warheads” that can hit “targets” and “combat” disease. Block, eliminate, disrupt, halt. For decades, drug makers have sought “magic bullets” that can precisely destroy ...

Shape
12/07/2022 News Gina Vitale

Entact Bio launches with $81 million to enhance protein function

When proteins within the body get tagged with a molecule called ubiquitin, they are essentially marked for destruction. But they can be saved; a deubiquitinase enzyme can remove the ubiquitin, keeping the protein intact. That, at least in part, is what Entact Bio aims to do...

Shape
12/06/2022 News Ryan Cross

Biotech cofounded by Dana-Farber scientists launches with $81m for new approach to drugs

A small startup in Watertown has raised millions of dollars for early-stage research on a potentially powerful new idea that’s beginning to take hold in the biotech industry: designing drugs to enhance or prolong the function of helpful proteins that ward off disease. If successful, the approach could lead to new therapie...

Shape