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ARTICLE | Emerging Company Profile

Pathway: Function follows PI3K isoform

Pathway's cancer compound selectively inhibits the PI3K alpha isoform and mTOR

June 20, 2011 7:00 AM UTC

Many PI3K inhibitors in development cause severe side effects that limit dosing, and most mTOR inhibitors have limited effectiveness because they target only one of the two mTOR complexes involved in cancer call growth. Pathway Therapeutics Inc. thinks its dual PI3K alpha/mTOR inhibitor can treat solid tumors more effectively and safely because it selectively targets a single PI3K isoform and both mTOR complexes.

Signaling by phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; FRAP; RAFT1) promotes a diverse range of cellular functions, including cell growth, proliferation, survival and metabolism. The two pathways are often dysregulated in cancer cells and are thus common targets, with two mTOR inhibitors on the market and at least 14 PI3K inhibitors in clinical trials for cancer...