Mendelian randomization study

Cytokines are a kind of low molecular soluble proteins synthesized and secreted by immunogen, mitogen or other factors. They have functions of regulating innate and adaptive immune responses, promoting hematopoiesis, stimulating cell activation, proliferation and differentiation. The process of releasing a large number of cytokines is also called “Cytokine storm”, which can cause damage to many tissues and organs in the body. Cytokine is involved in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, chronic inflammatory diseases and so on. Cytokine inhibitors are a class of essential compounds that act by directly inhibiting the synthesis and release of cytokine or blocking the binding of cytokine to their receptors. Cytokine inhibitors are important compounds for the study of tumor and autoimmune diseases.

MCE designs a unique collection of 1,416 cytokine inhibitors, mainly targeting the receptor interleukin (IL), colony-stimulating factor (CSF), interferon (IFN), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), growth factor (GF) and chemokine, which is an effective tool for development and research of anti-cancer, anti-chronic inflammatory diseases and anti-autoimmune diseases compounds.

Miao medicine is an important part of Chinese medicine, which carries the profound cultural heritage and rich life wisdom of the Hmongb people. Miao people live in a concentrated community in the mountainous area of the southwest border of China, which has a unique natural environment. Complex and diverse geology, lush natural vegetation, rich animal and plant species, a large number of mineral resources which provide a wide range of species sources for miao ethnicity medicine. On the other hand, due to the characteristics of the living environment of the Hmongb people, Miao medicine has demonstrated its unique therapeutic effect in the treatment of some endemic diseases, infectious diseases, insect, snake and beast bites, rheumatism and other diseases. With the development of modern science and technology, the research and application of seedling medicine are also deepening. Through the systematic study of the chemical composition and pharmacological action of the seedling medicine, it can provide a new idea and method for modern medicine.

MCE included 1,661 natural products from traditional miao ethnicity medicine, including animal, plant and mineral sources.

From target identification to clinical research, traditional drug discovery and development is a time-consuming and costly process, which also bears high risk. Compared with traditional drug discovery, drug repositioning or repurposing, also known as old drugs for new uses can greatly shorten the development cycle and reduce development cost, which has become a new trend of drug development. After undergoing clinical trials, approved drugs have identified bioactivities, good pharmacokinetic characteristics and safety, which can greatly improve the success rate of drug discovery. A number of successes have been achieved, such as metformin for type 2 diabetes and thalidomide for leprosy and multiple myeloma, etc.

MCE provides a unique collection of 1,534 China NMPA (National Medical Products Administration) approved compounds, which have undergone extensive preclinical and clinical studies and have well-characterized bioactivities, safety and bioavailability properties. MCE NMPA-Approved Drug Library is a good tool for drug repurposing which could dramatically accelerate drug development.

Bioactive small molecules are important sources of lead compounds and effective tools for drug screening. Because the target of active small molecules is clear, it is conducive to the study of mechanism. In addition, due to the large structural differences between the individual active molecules, it is easier to obtain a greater variety of lead compounds.

MCE integrates the Bioactive Compound Library (HY-L001) and Novel Bioactive Compound Library (HY-L111) to form the Bioactive Compound Library Max. Bioactive Compound Library Max contains novel active small molecules, molecules that have entered the clinical stage and the market, and small molecules that have been verified by cell experiments or biochemical experiments, which fundamentally expands the number of compound libraries in the library and improves the structural diversity, and is an effective tool to start drug screening and mechanism research.

MCE can provide a library of 30,147 mitophagy compounds, which can be used for drug development and mechanism research in cancer, immunity, infection and other hot research fields.

The Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway is central to signaling by cytokine receptors, a superfamily of more than 30 transmembrane proteins that recognize specific cytokines, and is critical in blood formation and immune response. Canonical JAK/STAT signaling begins with the association of cytokines and their corresponding transmembrane receptors. Activated JAKs then phosphorylate latent STAT monomers, leading to dimerization, nuclear translocation, and DNA binding. In mammals, there are four JAKs (JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, TYK2) and seven STATs (STAT1, STAT2, STAT3, STAT4, STAT5a, STAT5b, STAT6). Since the JAK/STAT pathway plays a major role in many fundamental processes, such as apoptosis and inflammation, dysfunctional proteins in the pathway may lead to a number of diseases. For example, alterations in JAK/STAT signalling can result in cancer and diseases affecting the immune system, such as severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (SCID).

MCE provides 738 compounds that can be used in the study of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and related diseases.

Traditional Chinese medicine provides abundant natural resources for medicinal compounds, which are often considered effective and safe for drug discovery. Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the principle of "multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways", and naturally has multiple pharmacological effects. As herbal medicine, the secondary plant metabolites in Chinese herbal medicine play an important role in alleviating many diseases in Traditional medicine and folk use. Therefore, the identification of traditional Chinese medicine derived compounds is also an important process in drug development and a necessary factor in dissecting the overall mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine. FDA listed compounds have completed extensive preclinical and clinical studies, exhibiting good biological activity, safety, and bioavailability.

MCE designs a unique collection of 306 FDA/EMA/NMPA/PMDA etc-approved traditional Chinese medicine active compounds, including flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, and other structural types. It is a good tool for drug reuse and screening drugs from traditional Chinese medicine sources.

Although brain cancer only accounts for 2% of all tumors, it has a poor prognosis, high mortality and high recurrence rate. Brain cancer can be divided into primary brain cancer and secondary brain cancer. According to the location of the cancer, brain cancer can also be divided into: brain glioma, pituitary adenoma, schwannoma, craniopharyngioma, meningioma and so on. Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, accounting for about 1/3 of all brain tumors. At present, brain cancer lacks precision targeted therapeutic drugs, and there is still a great clinical demand that has not been met. With the continuous development of high-throughput screening technology, it may be able to help develop effective anti-brain cancer drugs by screening compounds targeting PKC, PD-1, c-Met, PARP, etc targets.

MCE designs a unique collection of 2,134 small molecules with definite or potential anti-brain cancer activity, which is an important tool for studying the pathological mechanism of brain cancer and developing drugs for brain cancer.

New drug development is a time-consuming and high-cost process. Drug repurposing (also called drug repositioning, reprofiling or re‑tasking) offers various advantages over developing an entirely new drug for a given indication. First, the risk of failure is lower. Second, the time frame for drug development can be reduced. Third, less investment is needed. Approved and clinical drugs, especially after phase I drugs, have identified bioactivities, good pharmacokinetic characteristics and safety, which are suitable for drug repurposing.

MCE Drug Repurposing Compound Library plus contains 6,142 approved and passed phase I clinical drugs, which have been completed extensive preclinical and clinical studies and have well-characterized bioactivities, safety and bioavailability properties.

MCE Drug Repurposing Compound Library plus, with more powerful screening capability, further complement MCE Drug Repurposing Compound Library (HY-L035) by adding some compounds with low solubility or stability (Part B) to this library. All those supplementary compounds are supplied in powder form.

Biotoxins, also referred to as natural toxins, are chemical substances produced by plants, animals, or microorganisms that exert toxic effects on other living organisms. Due to unique biological activities, biotoxins have been widely applied in molecular biology, physiology, pharmacology, and the clinical diagnosis and treatment of various human diseases, becoming an important source of natural drug development. Biotoxins can specifically bind to and interfere with intracellular signaling molecules or receptors, thereby altering cellular signaling processes. Leveraging this characteristic, biotoxins can be used to study the regulatory mechanisms of cellular signaling pathways. For example, neurotoxins such as snake venom peptides can be used to investigate the functional regulation of neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels. Additionally, biotoxins have demonstrated significant potential in drug development across various fields, including neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, anticoagulation, and anti-cancer therapies. With advancements in high throughput screening, structural optimization, and antibody-toxin conjugation technologies, numerous biotoxins or their structural analogs have been successfully brought to market, such as Ziconotide, Captopril, Bivalirudin, and Eptifibatide.

MCE offers 91 types of biotoxins, including neurotoxins, cardiotoxins, mycotoxins, and more.

In this era of rapid advancement in gene-editing technology, the CRISPR-Cas system, with its powerful programmability, is leading a transformation in life sciences research. It enables efficient and precise targeted modification of an organism's genome, providing a robust tool for studying gene function, treating genetic diseases, and improving crop varieties. However, bottlenecks such as insufficient editing efficiency, low homologous directed repair efficiency, and potential off-target risks remain major challenges in achieving precise genetic modifications and developing gene therapies.

To overcome these limitations, the MCE High-Efficiency Gene Editing Compound Library systematically includes 761 small molecules that are known or have the potential to enhance gene-editing efficiency. These compounds work by targeting and modulating the DNA damage repair network, mechanistically inhibiting non-homologous end joining, promoting homologous directed repair, or regulating chromatin states and cellular responses, thereby significantly optimizing editing outcomes. This library is suitable for developing "CRISPR-small molecule" combination therapy strategies, improving gene-editing efficiency, and providing a powerful tool for in-depth research into the mechanisms of DNA damage repair in gene editing.

KRAS (Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog) is one of the most important oncogenic driver genes in oncology, with high mutation frequencies in pancreatic cancer, non‑small cell lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. For a long time, KRAS was considered "undruggable" due to the lack of suitable small‑molecule binding pockets on its protein surface. In recent years, with the discovery of the switch‑II pocket and the successful approval of KRAS G12C inhibitors, KRAS‑targeted research has achieved groundbreaking progress, which has also spurred a wave of development targeting non‑G12C mutants such as G12D and G12V, as well as upstream and downstream regulatory factors including SOS1 and SHP2.

MCE KRAS Targeted Compound Library contains 82 small‑molecule compounds targeting the KRAS, serving as high‑quality research tools for mechanistic studies of KRAS‑mutant tumors, combination therapy development, resistance mechanism exploration, and high‑throughput drug screening, thereby providing robust support for KRAS‑targeted drug discovery.

Chinese herbal therapy is an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It has been used for centuries in China, where herbs are considered fundamental therapy for many acute and chronic conditions. Many studies indicated TCM exerted an overall regulatory effect via multi-component and multi-target network. Active components from Traditional Chinese Medicine possess many medicinal properties such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-bacterial effects, which makes it an important source of new drugs. Nearly 200 modern medicines have been developed either directly or indirectly from the plants used as medicines in China. For example, artemisinin, used in multidrug resistant malaria, was first isolated from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. Today, scientists continue to identify compounds in Chinese herbal remedies that may be useful in the development of new therapeutic agents applicable in Western medicine.

MCE designs a unique collection of 3,276 active compounds of Chinese Herbal Medicines. MCE Traditional Chinese Medicine Active Compound Library is a useful tool for discovery new drugs from TCM.

Bile acids are a class of amphiphilic molecules derived from the metabolic breakdown of cholesterol, primarily synthesized in the liver, and play a crucial role in the intestines. Based on their structural characteristics, bile acids are mainly divided into two categories: free bile acids (including Cholic acid, Deoxycholic acid, Chenodeoxycholic acid) and conjugated bile acids (including Glycocholic acid, Glycochenodeoxycholic acid, Taurocholic acid, etc.). Bile acids play a significant role in the pathophysiological research of liver and gastrointestinal diseases and are closely associated with the occurrence of metabolic diseases such as obesity, type II diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis. Bile acids maintain metabolic balance within the body by regulating sugar metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, and they influence the activity of metabolism-related enzymes and transporters. In addition, Bile acids can also be used to construct a bile acid metabolism research platform, which helps to delve into the metabolic pathways and dynamic changes of bile acids in living organisms and aids in identifying new biomarkers for certain diseases.

MCE included 62 bile acids, including Cholic acid, Deoxycholic acid, Glycocholic acid, etc., which are effective tools for the study of liver and gallbladder diseases.

Mongolian medicine refers to drugs used for disease prevention and treatment under the guidance of Mongolian medical theory. Originating from the vast grasslands and desert regions of northern China, Mongolian medicine developed under specific natural conditions and a nomadic lifestyle, forming a unique theoretical system and treatment methods. It emphasizes the balance between the human body and the natural environment and has demonstrated distinct efficacy in treating digestive system diseases, rheumatism, skin diseases, and various chronic conditions. For example, Mongolian medicine often uses Chinese red date for palpitations and angina pectoris, sea buckthorn to relieve coughs, reduce phlegm, promote blood circulation, and remove blood stasis, and scabious to clear lung heat and treat liver heat diseases. The application of these characteristic Mongolian medicines embodies the profound wisdom of Mongolian medical practice.

With the advancement of modern technology, research on Mongolian medicine continues to deepen. Systematic studies on the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Mongolian medicines can provide new ideas and methods for modern drug development.

MCE has collected 2,383 characteristic natural products derived from Mongolian medicines, with 400+ plant sources of Mongolian medicine.

Copper is an important co-factor of all biological enzymes, but if the concentration exceeds the threshold of maintaining the homeostasis mechanism, copper will lead to cytotoxicity. This death mechanism has been named "Cuproptosis".

The mechanism of cuproptosis distinct from all other known mechanisms of regulated cell death, including apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis.

Copper combine with the lipoylated components of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), leading to lipoylated protein aggregation and subsequent loss of iron-sulfur cluster proteins, ultimately resulting in protein toxicity stress and cell death. Studies have shown that the necessary factors for cuproptosis include the presence of glutathione, mitochondrial metabolism of galactose and pyruvate, and glutamine metabolism.

Targeted regulation of cuproptosis is a potential choice to treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases. For example, up-regulation of LIPT1 may inhibit the occurrence and development of tumors by destroying TCA in mitochondria and then inducing cuproptosis.

MCE supplies a unique collection of 446 cuproptosis-related compounds, all of which act on the targets or signaling pathways related to cuproptosis and may have in inhibitory or activated effect on cuproptosis. MCE Cuproptosis Library is a useful tool for drug research related to cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases.

Research has shown that drugs targeting aging pathways demonstrate promising potential in models of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, osteoarthritis, and various malignancies. This suggests that intervening in the biological processes of aging may enable synergistic prevention and treatment of multiple chronic diseases. Against the backdrop of the gradual elucidation of core aging mechanisms-including cellular senescence, telomere attrition, epigenetic dysregulation, and chronic inflammation anti-aging research has shifted from traditional phenotypic interventions toward targeting key pathways that regulate biological age.

The MCE Anti-Aging Compound Library Mini is precisely built upon this cutting-edge concept. It focuses on aging-related targets validated through genetic or functional studies, comprising 381 compounds designed to provide systematic research tools for aging biology and intervention strategy development. The library covers core mechanisms such as mTOR, SIRT, energy metabolism, clearance of senescent cells, optimization of mitochondrial function, and telomere maintenance. For each target, 1-5 compounds with clear activity and strong representativeness have been carefully selected, spanning the entire translational spectrum from preclinical tool molecules to clinically investigational drugs.

Protein protein interactions (PPI) have pivotal roles in life processes. The studies showed that aberrant PPI are associated with various diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. The classic drug targets are usually enzymes, ion channels, or receptors, the PPI indicate new potential therapeutic targets. Therefore, targeting PPI is a new direction in treating diseases and an essential strategy for the development of new drugs.

However, the design of modulators targeting PPI still faces tremendous challenges, such the difficult PPI interfaces for the drug design, lack of ligands reference, lack of guidance rules for the PPI modulators development and high-resolution PPI proteins structures.

With the development of high-throughput technology, high-throughput screening is also gradually used for the identification of PPI inhibitors, but the compound library used for conventional target screening is not very effective in screening PPI inhibitors. To improve screening efficiency, MCE carefully selected 826 PPI inhibitors and mainly targeting MDM2-p53, Keap1-Nrf2, PD-1/PD-L1, Myc-Max, etc. MCE Protein-protein Interaction Inhibitor Library is a useful tool for PPI drug discovery and related research.

Seven-membered rings are privileged medium-sized scaffolds with distinct twist-chair conformations and greater 3D diversity than five- and six-membered rings. Their flexible conformations allow induced-fit protein binding and precise pharmacophore positioning. They also modulate Fsp³, pKa and logP to enhance solubility and permeability. Azepanes, oxepanes and benzodiazepines serve as bioisosteres for hit discovery against GPCRs, ion channels and kinases.

Widely found in plant and microbial alkaloids, seven-membered heterocycles show excellent biocompatibility and target affinity. They underpin many approved drugs for CNS, cancer and infectious diseases, including diazepam, imipramine and carbamazepine. Clinical candidates further highlight their unique value. However, high transannular strain and synthetic difficulty limit their availability, leaving them rare in standard screening libraries.

MCE 7 Membered Scaffold Library contains 2,792 structurally diverse, lead-like molecules covering azepanes, oxepanes, benzodiazepines and dibenzazepines. With varied substitutions, chiral centers and synthetic accessibility, it fills the shortage of medium-ring scaffolds. Ideal for HTS, virtual screening and SAR studies, these novel, patent-clear compounds offer a distinctive starting point for drug discovery in CNS disorders, oncology, antivirals and challenging targets such as PPIs.

Protein lactylation, an emerging post-translational modification identified in recent years, plays a critical role in linking cellular metabolic reprogramming, epigenetic regulation, and signaling networks. Based on a systematic framework encompassing lactate metabolism, lactylation, and downstream signaling pathways, this compound library comprehensively targets multiple regulatory layers, including histone modification enzymes (such as p300 and HDACs), key glycolytic enzymes (such as PKM2, LDHA, and GAPDH), transcriptional regulators (such as STAT3, HMGB1, and p53), as well as central signaling pathway nodes including HIF-1α, NF-κB, and PI3K-AKT-mTOR. This integrated design enables a comprehensive representation of the regulatory roles of lactylation across the “metabolism–epigenetics–signaling” axis.

MCE has assembled a collection of 6,182 known bioactive compounds and potential functional molecules, making this library suitable for a wide range of applications, including high-throughput drug screening, inhibitor identification, and mechanistic studies. It can be used to systematically evaluate the functional roles of lactylation in biological processes such as tumor metabolism, immune regulation, and inflammatory responses, and to efficiently identify small-molecule candidates with regulatory potential, thereby facilitating the development of innovative therapeutics targeting the interplay between metabolism and epigenetic regulation.

The RNA-targeted bioactive compound library is a high-quality collection of small molecules specifically designed and curated to target RNA structures and functions. It is widely applied in cutting-edge drug discovery and life science research. Unlike traditional strategies that focus on protein targets, RNA-targeted compounds can directly modulate various functional RNA molecules by influencing their splicing, translation, stability, or structural conformation, thereby enabling precise intervention in key biological processes. In the field of drug development, these compounds provide a novel approach to addressing previously “undruggable” targets and have demonstrated significant potential in areas such as oncology, antiviral therapies, and neurodegenerative diseases. For example, by targeting disease-associated RNA structural domains or regulating the aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs, these compounds can effectively inhibit disease progression or restore normal cellular function. In mechanistic studies, RNA-targeted compounds serve as valuable chemical biology tools to elucidate the roles of RNA in gene expression regulation, cellular signaling pathways, and disease development.

The MCE RNA-targeted bioactive compound library contains 858 compounds, sourced from databases such as TargetRX Atlas and R-BIND. The library features excellent structural diversity and biological activity, making it suitable for high-throughput screening (HTS), target validation, phenotypic screening, and lead compound discovery. It represents a valuable resource for RNA-related research and innovative drug development.