Targeted therapies articles from across Nature Portfolio

The mainly hematologic expression profile of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-γ (PI3Kγ) makes it an attractive therapeutic target. Recent work from three independent groups shows that inhibiting PI3Kγ impairs the metabolism and growth of acute myeloid leukemia cells — a finding that justifies further mechanistic and clinical exploration.

BCMA-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies and bispecific T cell engagers are moving to earlier lines of therapy in multiple myeloma. In addition, combination therapy with the BCMA-targeting antibody–drug conjugate belantamab mafodotin at first or subsequent relapse has the potential to improve survival of patients with this disease. This increasing number of therapeutic options makes treatment selection and sequencing increasingly complex.

The interaction between MyD88 and ERK is necessary for RAS-dependent transformation and cancer cell survival. Here, the authors identify benzimidazole compound EI-52 as a disrupter of this interaction and demonstrate its therapeutic efficacy in tumours via ERK dysregulation and the induction of immunogenic cell death.

Wang, Zhang, Zheng et al. demonstrate that tumour cell-derived lymphotoxin-β activates NF-κB2 signalling and CCL2/5 secretion in osteoblasts to promote bone metastasis in breast cancer, which may potentially be targeted with a decoy receptor in vivo.

The mainly hematologic expression profile of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-γ (PI3Kγ) makes it an attractive therapeutic target. Recent work from three independent groups shows that inhibiting PI3Kγ impairs the metabolism and growth of acute myeloid leukemia cells — a finding that justifies further mechanistic and clinical exploration.

Leighow et al. develop a strategy called the dual-switch selection gene drive platform, which enables the evolutionary dynamics of acquired resistance to be manipulated for therapeutic ends.