LGALS9 and cancer: There is increasing evidence to support TIM-3 as a therapeutic target in human cancer.18 TIM-3 is a transmembrane receptor that suppresses T-cell-mediated immune responses via binding to multiple ligands.19-23 There are 4 known TIM-3 binding ligands: galectin-9 (Gal-9), carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell-adhesion molecule-1 (CEACAM1), phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), and high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1).