Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2026

A Semi-Quantitative Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability (DARTS) assay for studying Rapamycin/mTOR interaction
05:28

A Semi-Quantitative Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability (DARTS) assay for studying Rapamycin/mTOR interaction

Published on: August 27, 2019

Inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin

Janet E Dancey1

  • 1Investigational Drug Branch/CTEP/DCTD, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Boulevard, Room 7131 Rockville, MD 20852, USA. danceyj@ctep.nci.nih.gov

Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs
|April 19, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors are promising anticancer therapeutics. Clinical trials show these agents are well-tolerated and can lead to tumor regression in some patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key regulator of cellular growth, downstream of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase-Akt pathway.
  • mTOR's central role makes it a significant target for developing novel anticancer therapeutics.
  • Current research focuses on mTOR inhibitors like rapamycin and its derivatives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the role of mTOR inhibitors in cancer treatment.
  • To assess the safety and efficacy of mTOR inhibitors in clinical trials.
  • To explore potential biomarkers for patient selection and combination strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical trials evaluating mTOR inhibitors (rapamycin, temsirolimus, everolimus, AP-23573).
  • Preclinical studies investigating correlations between pathway activation and drug sensitivity.
  • Analysis of clinical data on patient tolerance, stable disease, and tumor regression.

Main Results:

  • mTOR inhibitors are generally well-tolerated in cancer patients.
  • A subset of patients experienced prolonged stable disease or tumor regressions.
  • Preclinical data suggest sensitivity may be linked to phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase pathway activation.

Conclusions:

  • mTOR inhibitors represent a promising class of anticancer agents.
  • Further research is needed to optimize dosing, scheduling, patient selection, and combination therapies.
  • mTOR pathway modulation holds potential for improving cancer treatment outcomes.

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