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Updated: Dec 28, 2025

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Anticancer Agents Based on Vulnerable Components in a Signalling Pathway

Ankur Vaidya1, Shweta Jain2, Sanjeev Sahu3

  • 1Pharmacy College Saifai, Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai, Etawah (U.P.), India.

Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry
|February 13, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Researchers are exploring novel molecular targets for cancer therapy to overcome limitations of traditional treatments like chemotherapy. This review details key molecular mechanisms and drugs in clinical trials for improved cancer treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Traditional cancer therapies (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy) offer benefits but face challenges like drug resistance and side effects.
  • Recent decades have seen a surge in identifying new molecular targets to develop more effective anticancer agents.
  • Understanding molecular mechanisms is crucial for predicting resistance and optimizing combination therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review leading molecular mechanisms investigated for cancer therapy.
  • To highlight anticancer drugs currently undergoing clinical trials targeting these mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of established and emerging molecular targets in cancer.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways and enzymes implicated in cancer progression and treatment.
  • Compilation of data on anticancer agents in clinical development.

Main Results:

  • Detailed descriptions of key molecular targets including mTOR, WEE1, JAKs, PI3K/mTOR pathway, AKT, Chk1, MELK, DNMT1, PARP-1/-2, SK2, pan-FGFR, IAP, MDM2, Bcl-2 family, and ROS1.
  • Overview of the status of various anticancer drugs in clinical trials targeting these mechanisms.
  • Emphasis on the role of molecular mechanisms in guiding drug discovery and combination therapy strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Novel molecular targets offer promising avenues for developing next-generation cancer therapies.
  • Targeting specific molecular pathways can potentially overcome drug resistance and reduce side effects.
  • Continued research and clinical trials are essential to translate these molecular insights into effective cancer treatments.
Keywords:
CancerMDM2MELKWEE1mTORmolecular mechanism.

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