Review of clinic trials: agents targeting c-Met

Rev Recent Clin Trials. 2007 May;2(2):143-7. doi: 10.2174/157488707780599357.

Abstract

Receptor tyrosine kinases are a group of molecules that can enhance cellular proliferation, cell motility and migration, and eventual metastasis. c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase has a significant biological and biochemical effect on cancer cells, and appears to be an important therapeutic target. In many cancers, c-Met (which can be activated by its ligand hepatocyte growth factor, HGF) can be overexpressed, activated, amplified, and/or mutated. The mutations of c-Met had initially been described in the tyrosine kinase domain, and we have described them in other "hot-spots" such as the juxtamembrane and semaphorin domains. Targeting c-Met has been very fruitful pre-clinically, and currently, there are several clinical trials for advanced cancers. Described in this review are some of the biological and biochemical aspects of c-Met, and detailed are a number of therapeutic strategies. With our understanding of c-Met biology and role in cancer, we should be able to arrive at a unique strategy to eradicate cancers in which c-Met plays a significant role.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / drug effects*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met