Syracuse University recently presented a comprehensive preclinical program describing the rational design and optimization of peptide antagonists targeting the GDF15/GFRAL/RET receptor complex to mitigate nausea, emesis, anorexia and wasting associated with chemotherapy-induced stress signaling.

Mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL), a key effector of necroptosis, is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its targeting may promote parthanatos-mediated immunogenic cell death. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and collaborators described the discovery and preclinical characterization of C-116, a MLKL PROTAC degrader developed using AI-assisted rational drug discovery.

Cisplatin is widely used in chemotherapy regimens for many solid tumors, yet its therapeutic benefit is counterbalanced by significant toxicity and immunologically related limitations. Researchers from Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine described the preclinical efficacy of the PD-L1-targeted cisplatin prodrug MN42-81, designed to overcome these limitations.