Scientists Find a Way To Keep Cancer-Fighting T Cells From Burning Out

Memorial Sloan Kettering researchers found that MEK can drive T cell exhaustion by raising the energy cost of making proteins.

In mouse studies, MEK inhibition lowered energy use and helped some T cells keep functioning and self-renewing longer.

The results suggest FDA-approved MEK inhibitors could be repurposed to make cancer immunotherapy more durable, especially with checkpoint inhibitors.