Our findings provide the first proof of concept that adding an inhibitor of the kynurenine pathway to sorafenib therapy could lead to synergistic suppression of HCC growth both in vitro and in vivo. Indeed, our data have demonstrated that 3-HAA has a synergistic effect with sorafenib against HCC through the suppression of AKT activation. Here, AKT1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.