Development of the Inhibitors that Target the PD-1/PD-L1 Interaction-A Brief Look at Progress on Small Molecules, Peptides and Macrocycles.

Cancer immunotherapy based on antibodies targeting the immune checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has seen unprecedented clinical responses and constitutes the new paradigm in cancer therapy. The antibody-based immunotherapies have several limitations such as high production cost of the antibodies or their long half-life. Small-molecule inhibitors of the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction have been highly anticipated as a promising alternative or complementary therapeutic to the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

NMR fragment-based screening for development of the CD44-binding small molecules.

The cell-surface protein CD44, a primary receptor for hyaluronic acid (HA), is one of the most promising targets for cancer therapies. It is prominently involved in the process of tumor growth and metastasis. The possibility of modulating the CD44-HA interaction with a pharmacological inhibitor is therefore of great importance, yet until now there are only few small molecules reported to bind to CD44.

Specific Antibody Fragment Ligand Traps Blocking FGF1 Activity.

Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) and its receptors (FGFRs) regulate crucial biological processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation. Aberrant activation of FGFRs by their ligands can promote tumor growth and angiogenesis in many tumor types, including lung or breast cancer. The development of FGF1-targeting molecules with potential implications for the therapy of FGF1-driven tumors is recently being considered a promising approach in the treatment of cancer.

Identification of small-molecule inhibitors of USP2a.

USP2a is a deubiquitinating protease that rescues its target proteins from destruction by the proteasome by reversing the process of protein ubiquitination. USP2a shows oncogenic properties in vivo and has been found to be a specific activator of cyclin D1. Many types of cancers are addicted to cyclin D1 expression.