Australian researchers have found a drug combination that can bypass the cellular defenses in neuroblastoma that lead to relapse, and the discovery could lead to better treatment strategies for children whose cancers have stopped responding to standard chemotherapy.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype affecting 15%-20% of breast cancer patients. TNBC patients harboring breast cancer susceptibility gene 1/2 (BRCA1/2) mutations have shown improved therapeutic response to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPi).

T cell-engaging bispecific antibodies (TCEs) are engineered molecules designed to bring cytotoxic T cells into proximity with tumor cells, triggering a targeted, antigen-dependent immune attack. However, TCE may activate T cells in healthy tissues, leading to off-tumor toxicity.

G1 to S phase transition 1 (GSPT1) is a protein involved in cell cycle progression, translation termination, and protein homeostasis, and its overexpression has been implicated in various cancers. Although GSPT1 is considered a promising therapeutic target, the lack of conventional ligand-binding pockets has historically rendered it undruggable.