Creatine sticks to a special spot in a human protein using specific handholds, kind of like a key fitting into a lock, with certain parts of the protein helping hold it in place using molecular...

A drug called RGX202 sticks to the same spot on a protein that carries creatine in the body, kind of like two keys trying to fit in the same lock — so creatine can't get in, and its movement gets blocked.

Imagine creatine needs to get into cells through a special door that only opens one way. When creatine teams up with salt ions (sodium and chloride), the door becomes much less likely to let creatine slip back out, so it keeps moving in even when there’s already a lot of creatine inside the cell.

When creatine teams up with salt particles (sodium and chloride), it becomes much less likely to stick around inside the cell, so it can keep getting pulled in from outside—even when there’s already a lot of creatine inside.

The protein that moves creatine in human cells has a specific 3D shape made of 12 spiral sections, and this shape helps it grab creatine and sodium like a lock and key.

In your body, there’s a tiny protein called CRT1 that helps bring creatine into cells. A specific part of this protein, called D458, needs to be in a neutral (non-charged) state to keep the protein’s structure stable inside the fatty membrane of the cell—if it becomes charged, the structure gets wobbly and lets water leak in where it shouldn’t.