HGF and c-Met have both been targeted in many preclinical and clinical trials; for example, inhibition of HGF via a neutralising antibody or siRNA knockdown impaired gastric tumour growth in mice,100 and the combination of gemcitabine with the c-Met inhibitor, tivantinib, demonstrated early signs of anti-tumour activity in various solid tumours in a phase 1 trial, warranting a phase 2 trial.101 In recent times, many c-Met small molecule inhibitors have been in development and they are reviewed in ref. 102. Here, HGF is linked to gastric neoplasm.