| abstract |
In order to exploit vulnerabilities of cancer cells on the basis of homozygous deletion, a genomic profile of cancer cells in a biological sample is analyzed to identify homozygous deletions of one or more genes. The homozygous deletions, in turn, are analyzed in view of pathway data (e.g., metabolic, signaling, and/or cell-to-cell communication pathway data obtained from one or more databases) to determine a subset of homozygous deletions performing a function important to the viability of the cell. From this subset of homozygous deletions, cellular pathway data is analyzed to identify one or more partner genes (e.g., synthetic lethals) considered to facilitate or perform the same or similar function as the respective homozygous deletion. Drug annotations, in turn, may be reviewed to identify drugs that inhibit at least one of the synthetic lethal genes and/or gene products. |