Harnessing proteins to access new and challenging disease targets

Proteins are large, complex biologic molecules and as the most abundant and diverse macromolecules in the human body, they perform an astonishing number of vital and distinct functions. Since disease can arise from a single malfunctioning type of protein, they are crucial candidates to offer therapeutic benefit as potential medicines.

Many therapeutic proteins, with insulin being a classic example, can replace a deficient or abnormal protein, augment an existing pathway or provide a novel function or activity. Other candidates are used for specifically blocking or stimulating certain functions and pathways involved in disease.

At AstraZeneca, we are advancing our understanding of underlying mechanisms of disease and are identifying potential protein therapeutics across our therapy areas to reach new and challenging disease targets. With our long-standing expertise in recombinant DNA technologies and protein engineering, we are committed to creating therapeutic proteins that can offer innovative solutions to patients with unmet medical needs.