Restoring p53

PMV Pharmaceuticals Inc. is developing allele-specific small molecules for cancer that bind mutant p53 and restore the protein's wild-type conformation and tumor-suppressing function. PMV's compounds could be more selective for cancer cells than a more advanced p53 reactivator because they do not bind wild-type p53.

In healthy cells, oncogenic signals such as cellular stress and DNA damage activate the transcription factor p53, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. ...