A fragment-based strategy, involving “multicomponent reaction chemistry” (MCR), can identify novel chemotypes that disrupt the p53/MDM2 or p53/MDM4 complex employs. This approach uses high resolution structural information to delineate the region of a first protein or a ligand that is nestled within the binding pocket of a second target protein. The identified region is imported into a database containing MCR scaffolds to generate a virtual library of compounds, which subsequently are docked into the binding pocket of the target protein. Results from docking then are used to select compounds for synthesis and screening. A complementary, NMR-based methodology allows for screening the ability of compounds, selected using MCR, to disrupt the p53/MDM2 or p53/MDM4 complex.
