p53 and Ras: Back from the dead

After decades of research and countless failed attempts at drug development, industry is reviving its interest in two of oncology’s most intractable targets, p53 and Ras. While no one denies there’s still a long road ahead, glimmers of enthusiasm are emerging around the small crop of newcos that believe they’ve found solutions.

For p53, the answers lie in advances in computational chemistry and biology that enabled structure-based drug design with precision that was previously not possible. For Ras, new therapeutic modalities are enabling drug developers to address areas afresh where small molecules ran aground...