Chemical compounds specially designed to neutralize proteins that would otherwise allow tumor cells to cheat death have been recognized for some time by scientists as a promising new avenue for cancer therapy. Now, two studies in the November 16, 2007 issue of the journal Cell, a publication of Cell Press, provide insight into just how these antagonists of the anti-death—so-called Inhibitor-of-Apoptosis (IAP)—proteins work to fight tumors.