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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

A Data Integration Workflow to Identify Drug Combinations Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions
Published on: May 27, 2021
Synthetic Lethal Networks for Precision Oncology: Promises and Pitfalls
1Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Cancer Cell Map Initiative, USA.
Abstract:
Synthetic lethal interactions, in which the simultaneous loss of function of two genes produces a lethal phenotype, are being explored as a means to therapeutically exploit cancer-specific vulnerabilities and expand the scope of precision oncology. Currently, three Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs work by targeting the synthetic lethal interaction between BRCA1/2 and PARP. This review examines additional efforts to discover networks of synthetic lethal interactions and discusses both challenges and opportunities regarding the translation of new synthetic lethal interactions into the clinic.
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