Telik’s proteasome program meets preclinical development milestone

The proteasome is an important cellular structure necessary for the growth and function of cancer cells and inhibition of the proteasome has been shown to promote cell cycle arrest and cancer cell death or apoptosis. Bortezomib, an approved drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma, is based on this mechanism.

The company said that its proteasome inhibitors are orally active, non-peptide, non-boron based, and thus may lead to a drug candidate that might have advantages over Bortezomib and other proteasome inhibitors.

James Keck, vice president of biology at Telik, said: “The potentially favorable profile of these compounds was achieved through the use of our Trap computational drug discovery technology. We are currently conducting activities necessary to select a potential development candidate.”