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Genomics-guided pre-clinical development of cancer therapies

Hayley E Francies1, Ultan McDermott2, Mathew J Garnett3

  • 1Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.

Nature Cancer
|February 5, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Genomics guides cancer drug development, exploring oncogene addiction and synthetic lethality. CRISPR screening aids target identification for new precision cancer medicines.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genomics
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Trastuzumab's approval over 20 years ago marked a milestone in targeted cancer therapy.
  • Numerous clinically effective targeted anti-cancer therapies have since been developed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence supporting genomics-guided drug development.
  • To discuss oncogene addiction and synthetic lethality for novel cancer therapies.
  • To explore CRISPR screening for new target identification in precision oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of evidence for genomics-guided drug development.
  • Analysis of the oncogene addiction concept and synthetic-lethal paradigms.
  • Discussion of CRISPR-based genetic screening applications.

Main Results:

  • Genomics provides a strong foundation for developing targeted anti-cancer drugs.
  • Oncogene addiction and synthetic lethality offer new therapeutic avenues, especially for difficult-to-treat cancers.
  • CRISPR screening accelerates the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Conclusions:

  • Precision cancer medicine is evolving with advancements in genomics and genetic screening.
  • Expanding the scope and refining the application of these approaches are crucial for future cancer treatment.
  • Targeted therapies and synthetic lethality hold promise for overcoming drug resistance and treating undruggable cancers.

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