Strategies for the discovery of biased GPCR ligands

Abstract

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent important drug targets with complex pharmacological characteristics. Biased signaling represents one important dimension, describing ligand-dependent shifts of naturally imprinted signaling profiles. Because biased GPCR modulators provide potential therapeutic benefits including higher efficiencies and reduced adverse effects, the identification of such ligands as drug candidates is highly desirable. This review aims to provide an overview of the challenges and strategies in the discovery of biased ligands. We show different approaches for biased ligand discovery in the example of G-protein-biased opioid analgesics and discuss possibilities to design biased ligands by targeting extracellular receptor regions.