Publié le 12 décembre 2025 – Mis à jour le 12 décembre 2025

The search for more effective cancer treatments increasingly points toward combination strategies capable of tackling tumors on multiple fronts. Researchers at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) have developed a promising new approach based on the synergistic inhibition of two key targets: PLK1 and SHIP2. By combining inhibitors of both pathways, the team has observed a significantly enhanced impact on cancer cell survival—opening the door to more potent therapeutic options.

A Synergistic Treatment Strategy

While PLK1 inhibitors alone have shown potential, their clinical impact has been limited by resistance and compensatory mechanisms within cancer cells. The addition of a SHIP2 inhibitor changes this dynamic. SHIP2 plays a role in cell signaling pathways that support tumor growth, and its inhibition makes cancer cells more responsive to PLK1 suppression. Together, these two mechanisms create a reinforced therapeutic effect that is stronger than either inhibitor alone.

Key Advantages of the Technology

  • A new synergistic combination treatment against cancer based on PLK1 and SHIP2 inhibitors
  • Demonstrated in vitro and in vivo efficacy in pre-clinical studies, supporting strong potential for further development

This innovation is currently positioned at an early but compelling stage, making it a strategic opportunity for companies seeking to expand their oncology pipeline with differentiated combination therapies.

Scientific Expertise Behind the Innovation

The technology was developed under the leadership of Professor Benjamin Beck, Principal Investigator at the IRIBHM (ULB). His team brings extensive expertise in cancer biology, signaling pathways, and the mechanisms that drive therapeutic resistance—expertise that has been essential in identifying this novel synergy and validating it through robust pre-clinical work, Mol Cancer 24, 280 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02454-z

Explore Collaboration and Licensing Opportunities

ULB is seeking partners for R&D collaboration, co-development, or licensing to bring this promising approach closer to clinical application.

Learn more and get in touch with ULB-KTO