Researchers identify promising small molecule inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer.

A new study published in the *American Journal of Clinical Oncology* has identified seven promising small molecules, including the existing anticancer drug bleomycin, as potential inhibitors of Ubiquitin specific protease 21 (USP21). USP21 is a novel lung cancer protein target highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer, and its inhibition has been shown to decrease levels of the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). This computational and artificial intelligence modeling-based drug repurposing study suggests a new therapeutic strategy by targeting the USP21/PD-L1 interaction.