Progress of CDK4/6 Inhibitor Palbociclib in the Treatment of Cancer

Abstract The cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their cyclin partners are key regulators of the cell cycle. These kinases are closely related to oncogenesis and have been proved to be attractive targets for designing novel anticancer agents. The CDK inhibitors can effectively suppress the excessive proliferation of tumor cells by inducing cell cycle arrest. In recent years, a large number of CDK inhibitors have entered pre-clinical and/or clinical trials. Among these compounds, the selective CDK4/6 inhibitor Palbociclib has been approved by FDA for breast cancer treatment. Moreover, Palbociclib demonstrated promising antitumor potential as monotherapy or combined therapy in numerous clinical trials. Herein, we provide a brief review focused on the recent progress of clinical studies about Palbociclib.