by Ryu Hyunseok
Published 20 Nov.2025 13:47(KST)
Phin Therapeutics, a company specializing in protein degradation-based drug development, announced on November 20 that it has begun dosing the first patient in the Phase 1 clinical trial of its CK1α-selective degrader, PIN-5018. The first patient to receive the treatment is diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), a rare cancer.
PIN-5018 is an oral degrader developed based on the original hypothesis of 'Synthetic activation of p53.' The company is pursuing not only monotherapy but also a variety of combination strategies in parallel.
This Phase 1 clinical trial will systematically evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and the target engagement and pharmacodynamics of the CK1α degrader through dose escalation. Going forward, Phin Therapeutics plans to expand the development scope to include Merkel cell carcinoma, neuroblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR-MDS).
As the basis for developing PIN-5018, Phin Therapeutics presented non-clinical results from studies conducted in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), for which there are currently no approved standard treatments. In antitumor efficacy evaluations using two patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models from ACC patients, complete response (CR) and tumor regression were observed.
Phin Therapeutics is focusing on the biological characteristics of CK1α, noting that CK1α forms a key node in the development of resistance to androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor therapy. Accordingly, the company is pursuing a strategy to rapidly enter the first-line (1L) treatment setting for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) through combination therapy with androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSI). In addition, for colorectal cancer, the company is conducting clinical trials based on the groundbreaking concept of 'Synthetic activation of WNT signaling.'
Phin Therapeutics emphasized that, including the development of PIN-5018, its entire pipeline is oriented toward precision oncology based on sophisticated biological mechanisms. To this end, the company is conducting mode-of-action studies, integrated PK/PD analyses, and biomarker research to select suitable patient populations, focusing on identifying the optimal patient group for each indication.
A company representative stated, "Our goal is to provide real therapeutic alternatives for cancer patients who currently have no or limited treatment options, based on innovative degradation modalities and new biological hypotheses," adding, "We hope PIN-5018 will demonstrate meaningful clinical value across various cancer types."
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