Finally, these compounds selectively killed MCL-1-dependent cancer cell lines (H929, H2110 and H23) and synergized with the BCL-2/BCL-XL inhibitor navitoclax to kill cell lines that rely on multiple BCL-2 family members for survival (BxPC-3, EJ-1, OPM-2). The gene discussed is BCL2L1; the disease is cancer.