Patent Evaluation Oncologic, Endocrine & Metabolic: Interruption of binding of MDM-2 and p53 protein; potential for the treatment of cancer

Abstract

Inactivation of the p53 tumour suppressor protein has been established as a major mechanism of cancer progression. One of the ways in which p53 can be inactivated in human cancers is through binding by the MDM-2 oncoprotein, the gene which is frequently amplified and overexpressed in sarcomas and gliomas. This patent describes the identification of a specific hexapeptide from the p53 tumour suppressor protein (amino acids 18–23: TFSDLW) which is sufficient for effective binding to the MDM-2 oncoprotein. The patent lays claim to the therapeutic and diagnostic exploitation of this information. In the patent, the potential uses of this peptide as a lead compound for the design and discovery of pharmaceutically useful mimetic compounds and detailed and alternative strategies involving gene therapy approaches for biological delivery of the peptide are presented.