Small molecule inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 for cancer therapy

Abstract

Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) plays a vital role in transcription through regulation of short-lived anti-apoptotic genes required for cancer cell survival. Therefore, targeting CDK9 with small molecule inhibitors has emerged as a potential cancer therapy. This article reviews the most recent CDK9 patent literature (2012–2020) related to small molecule inhibitors in cancer along with their selectivity profile and biological results in preclinical studies.