Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Orally Available Covalent CDK12/13 Dual Inhibitors for the Treatment of Tumors
Hongfu Lu, Deheng Sun, Zhen Wang, Hui Cui, Lihua Min, Haoyu Zhang, Yihong Zhang, Jianping Wu, Xin Cai, Xiao Ding, Man Zhang, Alexander Aliper, Feng Ren, Alex Zhavoronkov
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases 12 and 13 (CDK12/13) safeguard genomic integrity by preferentially regulating gene expression in the DNA damage response (DDR). The CDK12/13-mediated upregulation of DDR genes and pathways significantly contributes to both tumorigenesis and the development of resistance to antitumor therapies. Thus, the functional inhibition of CDK12/13 offers an attractive strategy to combat carcinogenesis, particularly for refractory and treatment-resistant cancers. Here, we report the discovery of compound 12b as a novel, potent, orally available covalent CDK12/13 dual inhibitor with a promising safety profile and robust in vivo antitumor properties.