Preclinical characterization of SHR6390, a novel CDK 4/6 inhibitor, in vitro and in human tumor xenograft models

Abstract

Inhibition of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6-retinoblastoma (RB) pathway is an effective therapeutic strategy against cancer. Here, we performed a preclinical investigation of the antitumor activity of SHR6390, a novel CDK4/6 inhibitor. SHR6390 exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against a wide range of human RB-positive tumor cells in vitro, and exclusively induced G₁ arrest as well as cellular senescence, with a concomitant reduction in the levels of Ser780-phosphorylated RB protein. Compared with the well-known CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib, orally administered SHR6390 led to equivalent or improved tumor efficacy against a panel of carcinoma xenografts, and produced marked tumor regression in some models, in association with sustained target inhibition in tumor tissues. Furthermore, SHR6390 overcame resistance to endocrine therapy and HER2-targeting antibody in ER-positive and HER2-positive breast cancer, respectively. Moreover, SHR6390 combined with endocrine therapy exerted remarkable synergistic antitumor activity in ER-positive breast cancer. Taken together, our findings indicate that SHR6390 is a novel CDK4/6 inhibitor with favorable pharmaceutical properties for use as an anticancer agent.

Keywords: CDK 4/6; SHR6390; breast cancer; drug resistance; palbociclib.