Therapeutics: Ring finger protein 20 (RNF20); RNF40; kinesin spindle protein (KSP; Eg5; KIF11)

Cell culture and mouse studies suggest inhibiting RNF20, RNF40 or KSP could help treat breast cancer. In a human breast adenocarcinoma cell line, siRNA targeting RNF20, RNF40 or KSP increased apoptosis and decreased survival compared with scrambled siRNA, and a KSP inhibitor tool compound increased apoptosis compared with vehicle. In a xenograft mouse model of breast cancer, tumor knockdown of RNF20, RNF40 or KSP decreased tumor growth compared with normal expression of the three genes, and the KSP inhibitor decreased tumor growth compared with vehicle. Next steps could include identifying and testing inhibitors of RNF20 and RNF40.

Array BioPharma Inc. has the KSP inhibitor filanesib (ARRY-520) in Phase II testing for multiple myeloma (MM)...