Reprimo

Reprimo is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug developed by Sunesis Pharmaceuticals (now Aptose Biosciences). It was primarily investigated as a potential treatment for hematologic malignancies, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Reprimo functions by selectively inhibiting the Src-family kinases (SFKs), including Src, Lyn, Fyn, and Yes. These kinases are involved in signal transduction pathways that regulate cell growth, differentiation, and survival. In cancer cells, SFKs are often overexpressed or constitutively activated, contributing to uncontrolled cell proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. By inhibiting SFKs, Reprimo aimed to disrupt these pathways and induce cancer cell death.

While Reprimo showed promise in preclinical studies and early-phase clinical trials, its development faced challenges. Clinical trials for AML did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy to warrant further development, and it was subsequently discontinued. Although Reprimo is no longer under active clinical development, its mechanism of action and the data generated during its research continue to inform the understanding of SFKs in cancer biology and the development of other tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The compound's chemical structure is a pyrimidine derivative.