Cancer

Cell culture studies suggest inhibiting IKK or its scaffold protein NEMO in combination with inhibition of MC-1 could help treat STK11-deficient lung cancer. In a human STK11-deficient lung cancer cell line, the MC-1 inhibitor phenformin plus an siRNA targeting IKK increased apoptosis compared with phenformin alone. Also in the cell line and two other human STK11-deficient lung cancer cell lines, phenformin plus a tool compound IKK inhibitor increased apoptosis compared with either agent alone. Next steps could include testing the combinations in animal models of STK11-deficient lung cancer.

In 1978, phenformin was withdrawn from the market for diabetes due to lactic acidosis...