Grant: Operating Grant

Chemotherapy treatments rely heavily upon toxic drugs, which, although effective, are highly toxic and result in significant side effects, immensely reducing a cancer patient's quality of life. Frequent resistance to these toxic agents also develops, further compounding the problem. The Stat3 protein pathway confers resistance to cancer cell death in multiple myeloma(MM) tumor cells by preventing cell death and promoting cell survival. This project aims to develop novel drugs that specifically disrupt the formation of Stat3:Stat3 cancer-promoting protein complexes and prevent Stat3 gene expression programs. Through the suppression of Stat3 protein, our agents aim to kill MM tumor cells and sensitize tumors to traditional chemotherapies, thereby reducing effective dosages and lowering toxicity. Our Stat3 inhibitors will significantly reduce the side effects associated with conventional chemotherapy as either stand-alone agents or in combinatorial adjuvant therapeutic regime.