Petra-01

Petra-01 is a small molecule inhibitor of the Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase type 2 (PIP4K2) family of enzymes, originally developed by Petra Pharma Corporation. It targets a unique phosphoinositide pathway distinct from the well-known PI3K pathway to address hematologic malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma, as well as various solid tumors. The drug's mechanism of action involves inhibiting late-stage autophagy, a regenerative survival mechanism that cancer cells exploit to maintain proliferation under metabolic stress. By blocking PIP4K2, Petra-01 aims to disrupt this survival pathway and induce cancer cell death. Following the acquisition of Petra Pharma by Eli Lilly in 2020, the PIP4K2 inhibitor program was integrated into the acquiring company's oncology portfolio.