Revolutionary Drug Development Process Minimizes Side Effects.

Researchers have discovered a new way to activate G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) from inside cells, using a molecule called PCO371 that interacts with the intracellular region of a specific GPCR. This method could help develop drugs with fewer or no side effects for conditions such as obesity, pain, osteoporosis, and neurological disorders. The specificity of PCO371's binding and receptor activation mode makes it a suitable candidate for potential small-molecule-based drugs for class B1 GPCRs, which currently lack oral administrative drug ligands.