NCI-737

NCI-737 is a research-stage small molecule inhibitor of Lactate Dehydrogenase A (LDHA), an enzyme critical for the Warburg effect (aerobic glycolysis) in cancer cells. Developed through research programs at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NCI-737 belongs to a pyrazole-based chemotype. By inhibiting LDHA, the compound reduces the production of NAD+ and leads to the accumulation of NADH, thereby disrupting the redox balance and glycolytic flux necessary for the survival of highly glycolytic tumors. It has demonstrated activity in preclinical models of human pancreatic cancer and Ewing's sarcoma. Currently, NCI-737 is utilized primarily as a chemical probe or tool compound in academic research and has not entered clinical development.