PEG: The Magic Bullet for Biophysical Analysis of Highly Aggregating Small Molecules in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Biophysical research plays a crucial role in drug discovery, but many druglike molecules are poorly soluble and prone to aggregation, making their analysis challenging and susceptible to artifacts. To address this issue, we propose an approach that uses poly­(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as an excipient in aqueous buffers to reduce the propensity of small molecules to aggregate. We show how PEG allows us to measure the thermodynamics of a complex formed by a heterobifunctional Small Molecule (hSM) that brings two proteins together. Our model accounts for all of the equilibrium states of the small molecule in solution, resulting in more precise parameters for describing how the proteins and the ligand interact. These precise parameters are important for designing better lead molecules.