Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) supports telomerase maintenance and therefore tends to be a promising target for cancer therapy. ALT is found in around 10-15% of all types of cancers, specifically in aggressive tumors like osteosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma , and glioblastoma . A team of researchers recently identified ponatinib, a multi-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (RTKI) approved for a type of bone marrow cancer, can kill ALT cancer cells effectively. Researchers performed an anti-cancer compound library screen on telomerase-positive isogenic cell lines to detect therapeutic vulnerabilities that may be specific to ALT processes.
Researchers also successfully identified the signaling circuit that aids the drug's interference with the ALT activity. Furthermore, they found that a combination of ponatinib and triciribine is highly effective in killing ALT cells. Ponatinib…