EK-16005, a 2-anilinopyrimidine derivative, inhibits breast cancer progression by regulating myeloid-derived

Da-Young Eum, Cong So Tran, Jisu Kim

  • 1College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; Research Institute for Drug Development, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea.

BMB Reports
|June 2, 2026
PubMed

Targeting the behavior of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), either by decreasing their population or inhibiting their immunosuppressive activity, has become a promising approach in breast cancer therapy. As pivotal mediators within the tumor microenvironment (TME), MDSCs facilitate tumor progression via diverse mechanisms, including T-cell suppression, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the preservation of cancer cell stemness. EK-16005, a novel 2-anilinopyrimidine derivative, has shown robust inhibitory activity against breast cancer cells. In this investigation, we examined the impact of EK-16005 on the reciprocal interactions between MDSCs and cancer cells that modulate cytokine production and signaling pathway activation. EK-16005 downregulated the secretion of critical cytokines such as G-CSF, VEGF, and CXCL1/2, leading to blockade of STAT3 and Notch signaling cascades in vitro and in vivo. As a result, EK-16005 decreased MDSC expansion, tumor growth, and cancer stemness properties. Collectively, these results establish EK-16005 as a potential therapeutic candidate for interrupting MDSC-mediated tumor progression and improving outcomes in breast cancer treatment.

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