Putting STING Into Cancer Treatments.

STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) is a protein involved in the immune response against viruses and cancers. Because of this, scientists are interested in harnessing STING for cancer treatment. The chemicals that activate STING, however, are often unstable, making it hard to use STING to treat cancer.

Scientists at Scripps Research have created several chemicals that can activate STING. The best one so far is named SR-717. Scientists plan to use this finding to create drugs to turn up STING activity. This work could have a significant impact on the treatment of cancer and other diseases.