CK21

CK21 is a chemically modified pro-drug of triptolide, a natural product derived from the traditional Chinese herb *Tripterygium wilfordii* (Thunder God Vine). Developed by Cinkate Pharmaceutical Corp, CK21 was designed to overcome the systemic toxicity and poor solubility associated with parent triptolide while maintaining its potent anti-tumor activity. The drug acts by inhibiting the NF-kB signaling pathway and downregulating BCL-2, which induces mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in cancer cells. Preclinical studies in patient-derived pancreatic tumor organoids and mouse models have demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing tumor growth and preventing metastasis without significant organ toxicity. CK21 is currently undergoing early-phase clinical evaluation for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Other names

triptolide analogtriptolide pro-drug