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New drug targeted for Kaposi’s sarcoma

By UCSF School of Pharmacy Editorial Staff / Tue Aug 18, 2009

The interface of monomer A (gray) and the α-helix 5 of monomer B (blue).

A team of scientists from UCSF and colleagues have identified a new potential drug target for the herpes virus that causes Kaposi’s sarcoma. Their research reopens the possibility of using a class of drugs called protease inhibitors, against diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's Disease. This research was published online in Nature Chemical Biology, July 26, 2009. The lead author is Tina Shahian, UCSF Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Authors from the UCSF School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, are senior author Charles S. Craik, PhD, Gregory Lee, and Ana Lazic. Other authors are colleagues from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Full story

UCSF researchers identify new drug target for Kaposi’s Sarcoma

Research paper

Inhibition of a viral enzyme by a small-molecule dimer disruptor, Nature Chemical Biology, July 26, 2009

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Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV), research, science, herpes virus, HIV, AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

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School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, PharmD Degree Program, BMI, QBC, CCB, PSPG, Bioinformatics, Biophysics

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