Replication stress (RS) is a cancer hallmark; chemotherapeutic drugs targeting RS are widely used as treatments for various cancers. To develop next-generation RS-inducing anticancer drugs, cell division cycle 7 (CDC7) has attracted attention as a target. Researchers have developed an oral CDC7-selective inhibitor, TAK-931, as a candidate clinical anticancer drug.

TAK-931 demonstrated marked, dose-dependent antitumor activity, without severe body weight loss.

Antitumor efficacy studies for TAK-931 were carried out in two pancreatic PDX models, PHTX-249Pa and PHTXM-97Pa, at Medicilon. 

Reference:

Kenichi Iwai, et al. Molecular mechanism and potential target indication of TAK-931, a novel CDC7-selective inhibitor. Sci Adv. 2019 May 22;5(5):eaav3660. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aav3660.