BioCentury
ARTICLE | Distillery Therapeutics

Cancer

January 23, 2019 12:08 AM UTC

Cell culture and mouse studies identified an MDM2 protein degrader that could help treat leukemia and other cancers. Chemical synthesis and testing of analogs of an MDM2 inhibitor tool compound linked to thalidomide or Revlimid lenalidomide in human leukemia cells yielded a compound that induced MDM2 degradation with an IC50 of 1.5 nM. In a xenograft mouse model of leukemia, the compound decreased tumor growth compared with vehicle. Next steps by Oncopia Therapeutics LLC include testing the compound in animal models of other cancers.

Celgene Corp. and BeiGene Ltd. market Revlimid, an immune modulator that targets cereblon (CRBN), for multiple myeloma (MM), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)...