Small-molecule inhibitors of I.B kinase (IKK) and IKK-related kinases

The transcription factors NF-kB and IFN control important signaling cascades and mediate the expression of a number of important pro-inflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules, growth factors and anti-apoptotic survival proteins. IkB kinase (IKK) and IKK-related kinases (IKKe and TBK1) are key regulators of these biological pathways and, as such, modulators of these enzymes may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer. We have reviewed the most recent IKK patent literature (2008-2012), added publications of interest overlooked in previous patent reviews and identified all the players involved in small-molecule inhibitors of the IKKs. This will provide the reader with a decisive summary of the IKK arena, a field that has reached maturity over a decade of research.