https://www.nature.com/articles/d42473-024-00266-1
As a protein kinase involved in regulating the cell cycle, WEE1 is a target of interest for cancer therapy due to its role in cell cycle control and its potential impact on cancer cell survival. By forcing cancer cells to enter mitosis with damaged DNA, ultimately resulting in their death, WEE1 inhibition has been established as a promising strategy against the most difficult cancer types.
While the first-generation WEE1 inhibitors showed encouraging results in disrupting DNA damage repair (DDR), several limitations were identified due to their lack of selectivity and resulting toxicity. Debio 0123, a next-generation, brain-penetrant WEE1 inhibitor with best-in-class potential for an enhanced safety profile and improved cancer treatment outcomes is currently being researched.