Taking a cue from the Croc Hunter, researchers have now identified a molecule capable of taping shut the “jaws” of PAK1 before the enzyme becomes active. The molecule, IPA-3, was shown to be highly specific for PAK1 inhibition in cell cultures studies. Previously, PAK1 activity has been linked with breast cancer and to pathways related to the ras oncogene, which is thought to cause up to 30 percent of all cancers.