New drug targeted for Kaposi’s sarcoma

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.

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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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About the School: The UCSF School of Pharmacy aims to solve the most pressing health care problems and strives to ensure that each patient receives the safest, most effective treatments. Our discoveries seed the development of novel therapies, and our researchers consistently lead the nation in NIH funding. The School’s doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program, with its unique emphasis on scientific thinking, prepares students to be critical thinkers and leaders in their field.