Selpercatinib: First approved selective RET inhibitor

Larissa C B Oliveira1, Lois M Mulligan1

  • 1Division of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, and Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.

Cell
|April 14, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Selpercatinib, a novel RET inhibitor, effectively targets RET fusion proteins and mutants. This FDA-approved therapy blocks cancer cell proliferation and survival signals, offering new hope for targeted cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The RET proto-oncogene plays a critical role in various cancers when altered by fusions or mutations.
  • Targeting RET signaling pathways is a promising strategy for cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce Selpercatinib, a potent and selective RET kinase inhibitor.
  • To highlight its mechanism of action in inhibiting oncogenic RET alterations.

Main Methods:

  • Selpercatinib binds to the RET kinase active site.
  • It inhibits constitutively dimerized RET fusion proteins and activated point mutants.

Main Results:

  • Selpercatinib effectively blocks downstream signals essential for cancer cell proliferation and survival.
  • It represents a significant advancement in targeted cancer therapy.

Conclusions:

  • Selpercatinib is the first FDA-approved drug for tumor-agnostic targeting of oncogenic RET fusion proteins.
  • This selective RET inhibitor offers a new therapeutic option for patients with RET-altered cancers.

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