A new mode of action of ellipticine, a molecule known for its anti-cancer properties has been identified by researchers from the CEA, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Curie and Joseph Fourier-University Grenoble 1. They selected derivatives of this molecule capable of specifically targeting the CK2 protein, a protein kinase dysregulated in many cancers, and have demonstrated the antitumor potential of these derivatives. This work, published online by the journal
Cancer Research, opens new perspectives for the design of future cancer drugs.