Dr. Qinge Liang, a researcher from the Translational Research Business Unit, will have an oral and a poster presentation at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Toxicology

2026.06.19

Dr. Qinge Liang, a researcher from the Translational Research Business Unit, will have an oral and a poster presentation at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Toxicology (JSOT),  to be held at Osaka International Convention Center, Japan.
If you plan to attend the conference, we encourage you to join the session and hear the presentation.

Conference Name: the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Toxicology (JSOT)

Date & Time:Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Oral Presentation: 9:30–10:48 (6 minutes)
Poster Presentation: 13:30–14:30

Location: Osaka International Convention Center, Japan

Title: Proteomic Analysis for Off-Target Risk Assessment of Targeted Protein Degraders

Poster Board No: 5183

Presentation Summary
For targeted protein degraders (TPDs), off-target toxicity resulting from unintended protein degradation may lead to delays or discontinuation of drug development. Proteomics analysis has been widely used to evaluate TPD-induced protein degradation. However, because the expression of neo-substrates, defined as proteins newly recognized and degraded as targets through TPD treatment, is often cell- and tissue-specific, analyses using a single cell line may have limited detection coverage and may miss important off-target degradation events. To address this issue, in this study, we aimed to establish and validate a safety assessment platform based on deep global proteomics using a human-derived multi-cell-line panel with two representative TPDs.
Proteomic analysis using the three cell-type panel demonstrated high coverage of known neo-substrates. Preselected known neo-substrates with reported safety concerns were successfully identified. This approach also enabled a comprehensive assessment of unknown targets, with a total of approximately 10,000 proteins detected across the cell panel. In addition, dose–response analysis enabled the extraction of proteins that decreased in a concentration-dependent manner, improving the reliable identification of true off-target degradation events. By linking the identified degraded proteins to toxicity-related phenotypic annotations, we generated a practical and easy-to-interpret safety risk profile. This allowed us to visualize related pathological categories, such as lethality, cancer, and developmental abnormalities, thereby supporting the interpretation of potential toxicity risks.
Overall, these results suggest that this multi-cell-line global proteomics approach is useful for detecting safety-relevant off-target degradation during TPD drug discovery and development.

Axcelead’s Soulution
At Axcelead, we provide TPD off-target degradation evaluation using global proteomics using multi-cell panel. Our services visualize safety risks associated with TPD off-target degradation from the early stages of development and support selectivity assessment and candidate selection for novel TPD programs.
Axcelead has extensive experience in in vitro exploratory safety assessment for small molecules and new modality therapeutics. Based on the specific characteristics and challenges of each project and compound, we propose optimal safety assessment strategies tailored to project-specific needs. Please feel free to contact us to discuss how we can support your project.