Telomerase: An unusual target for cytotoxic agents

Despite an impressive body of basic knowledge, the value of telomerase as a therapeutic target remains unknown. It is clear that development of anti-telomerase agents will offer unusual challenges, but with cancer remaining a major cause of morbidity and mortality, these challenges are worth confronting. Oligonucleotides represent an excellent option for animal studies aimed at better characterizing the efficacy and toxicity of anti-telomerase agents. Favorable results in these studies would pave the way for clinical trials that will offer the only definitive means for accessing the telomerase-cancer connection.