CC-90005

CC-90005 is a potent, selective, and orally active small molecule inhibitor of protein kinase C theta (PKC-θ), an enzyme predominantly expressed in T lymphocytes. By inhibiting PKC-θ, CC-90005 blocks T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated activation, proliferation, and cytokine production—particularly interleukin-2 (IL-2)—thereby suppressing immune responses. The drug was developed by Celgene (now part of Bristol Myers Squibb) as a potential anti-inflammatory therapy for T cell-driven autoimmune diseases such as plaque psoriasis and arthritis. Despite promising preclinical and early clinical data demonstrating selectivity for PKC-θ over other isoforms and efficacy in models of acute and chronic T cell activation, development was discontinued after Phase 1 trials for plaque psoriasis[1][2][3][5][8].