Pharmacological Rescue of p53 in Cancer Therapy: Widening the Sensitive Tumor Spectrum by Targeting MDMX

Targeting p53ʹs main negative regulator MDM2 is a promising strategy for treating cancers that retain wild-type p53. Unfortunately, MDM2 inhibitors are largely ineffective against tumors overexpressing MDMX. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Bernal et al. describe a “stapled” peptide that targets MDMX and suppresses the growth of tumors resistant to MDM2 inhibitors.