Therapeutic targeting of MALT1 in oncology: Mechanism, inhibitor development, and clinical prospects. (PubMed, J Cell Commun Signal)
Notably, agents such as safimaltib (JNJ-67856633) have shown manageable safety profiles and preliminary antitumor activity in early-phase trials for relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies. However, MALT1-targeted therapy poses a dual challenge: although inhibiting oncogenic signaling and tumor cell proliferation, it also disrupts immunosuppressive Treg function, risking autoimmune toxicity by compromising the tumor microenvironment. This review systematically analyzes MALT1's oncogenic roles across cancers, clarifies inhibitor mechanisms, and evaluates translational challenges and strategic opportunities for precision oncology and combination immunotherapy.