Methods of identifying potentially therapeutically selective and effective anti-cancer agents that are inducers of apoptosis

摘要

Disclosed are methods for identifying potential therapeutically effective anti-cancer agents. In particular, the invention relates to the use of biochemical and cell based screening assays to identify compounds that directly or indirectly activate the apoptosis cascade and further a method for identifying those apoptosis inducers that are selective and effective apoptosis agents for use in treating cancer and other therapeutic indications characterized by a lack of appropriate apoptosis. Also disclosed is a method of identifying selective caspase inducers using a cell-line specific primary screen.