Promising new melanoma drug in the offing
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Scientists have discovered a new compound that shows promise for treating deadly skin cancers like melanoma that are resistant or unresponsive to leading therapies today.
The new compound, named SBI-756, targets a specific molecular machine known as the translation initiation complex.
These structures are in every cell and play the critical role of translating mRNA into proteins.
In cancer cells the complex is impaired, producing extra protein and providing a growth advantage to tumours.
SBI-756 causes the translation complex to dissociate, and was shown to inhibit melanoma cell growth, said scientists from Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP).
"The unique target of SBI-756 makes it especially promising for use in combination therapy," said Ze'ev Ronai, senior author and scientific director of SBP's La Jolla campus in California.
A major issue limiting the effectiveness of current melanoma therapies is that tumours become resistant to treatment.
The new compound, named SBI-756, targets a specific molecular machine known as the translation initiation complex.
These structures are in every cell and play the critical role of translating mRNA into proteins.
In cancer cells the complex is impaired, producing extra protein and providing a growth advantage to tumours.
SBI-756 causes the translation complex to dissociate, and was shown to inhibit melanoma cell growth, said scientists from Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP).
"The unique target of SBI-756 makes it especially promising for use in combination therapy," said Ze'ev Ronai, senior author and scientific director of SBP's La Jolla campus in California.
A major issue limiting the effectiveness of current melanoma therapies is that tumours become resistant to treatment.
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