Synthetic Lethality (SL) Mechanism of Action (MOA) Animation

SL is an emerging strategy for targeting cancer cells. Our client’s lead SL candidate, XL309, inhibits USP1, a deubiquitinase essential for single-strand DNA break repair. Due to compensatory DNA repair mechanisms, XL309 has no effect on healthy cells. However, XL309 is lethal in cancers with homologous recombination (HR)-deficiency that have genetic alterations impairing double-strand DNA break repair. To explain this complex story to multiple audiences, we created a clear, concise MOA animation. Flowchart-like 3D motion graphics make it easy to follow the complex interplay of DNA damage repair mechanisms, while molecular scenes illustrate how the different proteins interact to orchestrate DNA repair. We also developed a companion 2D illustration, presenting the XL309 MOA in a didactic format for slide decks and posters.

Created for
Exelixis, Inc.