New approaches reveal how cancer drugs work in their cellular context Live-cell assays quantify the genetic and metabolic influence on drug selectivity, enabling the development of more precise cancer therapies.

https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/new-approaches-reveal-how-cancer-drugs-work-in-their-cellular-context-16978 Oncology is increasingly shifting from broad-spectrum therapeutics to precision medicine strategies in an effort to create safer, more effective drugs. By tailoring treatments to the unique features of a patient’s tumor, researchers aim to exploit vulnerabilities that are invisible to traditional approaches. One compelling example of this principle at work is synthetic lethality, where specific mutation-driven weaknesses in cancer cells can be selectively targeted, allowing for precise and highly effective cell killing.