Getting more out of mTOR

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have developed mTOR inhibitors for cancer that may have better activity than rapamycin and other first-generation molecules.¹ The compounds have been licensed and optimized by Intellikine Inc., which hopes to submit an IND for its lead candidate in an undisclosed cancerby year end.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; FRAP; RAFT1) exists in two multiprotein complexes-mTORC1 and mTORC2. Both complexes mediate cell growth and proliferation in a variety of cell types² (see "mTOR in cancer")...