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PD-0325901 (pd-0325901)
PD-0325901 stops cancer cells from receiving growth signals by blocking a protein called MEK that tells cells to multiply.
PD-0325901 is a MEK inhibitor that blocks a key protein in cell growth pathways. It is approved for treating certain cancers driven by specific genetic mutations. This drug offers targeted therapy that can be more effective than traditional chemotherapy for patients with these mutations.
At a glance
| Generic name | pd-0325901 |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Pfizer Inc. |
| Therapeutic area | Oncology |
| Phase | discontinued |
Mechanism of action
Cancer cells often rely on communication pathways to grow and divide uncontrollably. One critical pathway involves proteins called RAF and MEK, which pass growth signals from the cell's outer membrane to its nucleus. When certain genetic mutations are present, this pathway becomes hyperactive, constantly pushing cells to divide. PD-0325901 works by blocking MEK, interrupting this signal at a crucial point and starving cancer cells of the instructions they need to proliferate. By targeting MEK specifically, this drug can be particularly effective for cancers that depend on this pathway for survival, such as those with BRAF or NRAS mutations. This targeted approach means the drug can work more precisely than older chemotherapies, which damage many types of cells indiscriminately. The benefit is that patients may experience better outcomes with fewer side effects affecting healthy tissues that don't rely on this pathway. Think of it like cutting the power line to a factory that illegally manufactures products. Normal factories (healthy cells) use different power sources and keep running, but the illegal factory (cancer) shuts down because it depends entirely on that one line.
Approved indications
Pipeline indications
- Colorectal Cancer — discontinued
Common side effects
Key clinical trials
- MEK and MET Inhibition in Colorectal Cancer (discontinued)
- MEK Inhibitor PD-325901 To Treat Advanced Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer, And Melanoma. (discontinued)
- Dacomitinib Plus PD-0325901 in Advanced KRAS Mutant NSCLC (discontinued)
- MEK Inhibitor PD-325901 To Treat Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (discontinued)
- Clinical Study Of PI3K/mTOR Inhibitors In Combination With An Oral MEK Inhibitor Or Irinotecan In Pa (discontinued)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- PD-0325901 CI brief — competitive landscape report
- PD-0325901 updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Pfizer Inc. portfolio CI