TPG Projects

MCL1 is a highly attractive therapeutic target in cancer. It is a specialized gene that interrupts programmed cell death, is commonly altered in tumor cells, and may aid tumor development as well as resistance to chemotherapy. Using a variety of innovative approaches, Broad Institute scientists have begun to lay the necessary groundwork to design transformative therapeutic strategies for the MCL1 pathway.

Coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Recent research has shown that the PCSK9 gene regulates cholesterol levels in the blood, and is one of the key genes that drives elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. A therapy that successfully targets the PCSK9 protein and modulates LDL cholesterol would transform the treatment of coronary artery disease.

In more than half of all prostate cancers, two genes, normally separate, become fused. This causes one of the genes, called ERG, to become permanently turned on, constantly signaling cancer cells to grow and invade. Broad Institute scientists are pursuing a comprehensive and innovative drug discovery program aimed at ERG, a challenging but promising drug target.