Evolution of cancer cell resistance versus intelligent design of epigenetic drugs

Publication date: Available online 23 August 2014 Source:Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models Author(s): Isaia Barbieri , Andrew J. Bannister Cancer cells commonly develop resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. In this short review we highlight epigenetic factors as important players in acquired drug resistance. We discuss the development of new drugs that are specifically targeted to these epigenetic factors. These compounds have the potential to be highly specific, with fewer side effects, and a lower tendency to generate resistance. These drugs also have the potential to reverse resistance acquired against other non-epigenetic chemotherapeutic agents and targeted inhibitors. They also provide extremely useful research tools with which to study epigenetic mechanisms in cancer systems.
Source: Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research