Discovery of PKMYT1 Inhibitors with a Novel Scaffold for the Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

  • J Med Chem. 2026 Jan 8;69(1):228-249. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c02263.
Jingling Huang  1 Peixuan Li  1 Feihuang Qiu  1 Yingming Fu  1 Wenxin Yan  1 Yongling Xu  1 Xinyu Sun  1 Xiuhua Zhang  1 Yi Zou  1 Qihua Zhu  1 Yungen Xu  2  1 Hongfeng Gu  1
Affiliations
  • 1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
  • 2. State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
Abstract

Triple-negative breast Cancer (TNBC) is a refractory tumor characterized by a high mutation rate of the P53 gene, leading to an increased reliance on the G2/M checkpoint to maintain genomic integrity in response to DNA damage. PKMYT1 is highly expressed in TNBC and serves as a crucial regulator of the G2/M checkpoint. Therefore, inhibiting PKMYT1 may be an effective strategy for treating P53-mutated TNBC. Herein, we report a series of PKMYT1 inhibitors featuring a novel scaffold. Among these compounds, XH-30 exhibited significant PKMYT1 inhibitory activity (IC50 = 4.1 nM) and induced G2/M phase release in MDA-MB-231 cells (a P53-mutated TNBC cell line), demonstrating promising antitumor effects in vivo (TGI = 58%). Additionally, XH-30 achieves a synergistic antitumor effect with the PARP1 Inhibitor Olaparib by downregulating the expression of BRCA1/2. In conclusion, we have identified a potent PKMYT1 Inhibitor, XH-30, which provides a novel therapeutic option for treating P53-mutated TNBC.

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