Low-density lipoprotein receptor-targeting chimeras for membrane protein degradation and enhanced drug delivery

Abstract

Antibody-based therapeutics encompass diverse modalities for targeting tumor cells. Among these, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and extracellular targeted protein degradation (eTPD) specifically depend on efficient lysosomal trafficking for activity. However, many tumor antigens exhibit poor internalization, limiting ADC effectiveness. To address this, we developed low-density lipoprotein receptor-targeting chimeras (LIPTACs), leveraging the constitutive endocytic and recycling activity of the LDLR to enhance lysosomal delivery. LIPTACs enable efficient and selective degradation of diverse extracellular membrane proteins. Additionally, by coupling LIPTACs with cytotoxic payloads to generate degrader-drug conjugates, we can achieve superior intracellular delivery and enhanced cytotoxicity compared to conventional ADCs. The dual modality addresses key challenges of inadequate internalization in conventional ADCs and cytotoxic potency for current eTPD strategies. Our findings demonstrate that LDLR-mediated trafficking can enhance eTPD and ADCs, providing a hybrid blueprint for developing next-generation antibody therapeutics with broader utility and improved efficacy in cancer treatment.