WEE1 WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase
ENSG00000166483 · protein coding · Open Targets profile
Acts as a negative regulator of entry into mitosis (G2 to M transition) by protecting the nucleus from cytoplasmically activated cyclin B1-complexed CDK1 before the onset of mitosis by mediating phosphorylation of CDK1 on 'Tyr-15' (PubMed:15070733, PubMed:7743995, PubMed:8348613, PubMed:8428596). Specifically phosphorylates and inactivates cyclin B1-complexed CDK1 reaching a maximum during G2 phase and a minimum as cells enter M phase (PubMed:7743995, PubMed:8348613, PubMed:8428596). Phosphorylation of cyclin B1-CDK1 occurs exclusively on 'Tyr-15' and phosphorylation of monomeric CDK1 does not occur (PubMed:7743995, PubMed:8348613, PubMed:8428596). Its activity increases during S and G2 phases and decreases at M phase when it is hyperphosphorylated (PubMed:7743995). A correlated decrease in protein level occurs at M/G1 phase, probably due to its degradation (PubMed:7743995). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:15070733, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7743995, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8348613, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8428596}.
Each band is a group of drugs. It runs from the kind of drug on the left to the furthest stage that drug has reached in any disease on the right. Thicker bands mean more drugs.
Approved bands are highlighted. Withdrawn means the drug was pulled from the market or from development. A combined phase counts as the later one (Phase 1/2 is shown as Phase 2). Hover a band for the drug names. Source: Open Targets Platform, fetched live.
Each row is a cancer, strongest overall evidence first. The two dots show how strong the inherited (germline) and tumour-mutation (somatic) evidence is; the line between them is the gap.
Scores run from 0 (no evidence) to 1 (strongest). A missing dot at 0 means Open Targets holds no evidence of that kind. Source: Open Targets Platform, fetched live.
Tractability
- Small molecule
- Advanced Clinical, Structure with Ligand, High-Quality Ligand, High-Quality Pocket, Druggable Family
- PROTAC
- Literature, UniProt Ubiquitination, Database Ubiquitination, Small Molecule Binder
gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.23260000348091125 (upper bound 0.3532699942588806). Low values mean loss of function is poorly tolerated, a safety flag for inhibition.
Who runs trials of these drugs
Principal investigators and study chairs on 33 registry trials, updated in the last three years, of the most advanced drugs against WEE1 (azenosertib, adavosertib), ranked by Phase 2+ trials. Live from ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Aaron HansenUniversity Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Amit M OzaUniversity Health Network-Princess Margaret Hospital · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Andrew TuttGuy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London. · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Birgit GeoergerGustave Roussy, Cancer Campus, Grand Paris · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Haiyi JiangAstraZeneca · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Jhanelle GrayH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Joyce LiuDana-Farber Cancer Institute · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Keith T FlahertyECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Kim ChiBCCA - Vancouver Cancer Centre · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Michael KolinskyCross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB Canada · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Michael OngOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON Canada · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Rahul R AggarwalYale University Cancer Center LAO · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Sebastien HotteJuravinski Cancer Centre at Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON Canada · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Shannon WestinM.D. Anderson Cancer Center · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
- Shivaani KummarECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group · 1 of 1 trials Phase 2+
Registry trials of azenosertib, adavosertib updated in the last three years, counted by the country group of their listed sites. A trial with sites in several groups counts in each; 19 of 33 have all sites in one country.
Site counts are not patients per country, and trials registered only outside ClinicalTrials.gov are not covered. Where sites are is a fact about the record, not a judgement of its quality. Europe is the EU and EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, fetched live.
16 trials of drugs against WEE1 were stopped early
Terminated, withdrawn and suspended interventional trials of azenosertib, adavosertib, newest update first, live from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each reason is quoted exactly as the registry gives it; we do not sort reasons into safety, efficacy or business. Dates are the last registry update. Showing the 16 most recent of 16.
- terminated · 2026-10-27 · Brandon Huffman, MD · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Study stopped early due to reaching the minimum number of DLTs required for halting the study due to toxicity.”
- terminated · 2026-06-04 · Filipa Lynce, MD · Azenosertib“Zentalis terminated contract due to concern for toxicity safety from previously reported serious adverse events. This study had been designed as a Phase I / Phase II study, but never reached Phase II.”
- terminated · 2026-01-30 · National Cancer Institute (NCI) · Adavosertib“Other - Adverse Events”
- terminated · 2024-02-20 · National Cancer Institute (NCI) · Adavosertib“Inadequate accrual rate”
- terminated · 2023-09-21 · Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · adavosertib 20 mg, adavosertib 65 mg“The study has been terminated due to business reasons.”
- terminated · 2023-09-18 · Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · adavosertib, Placebo to adavosertib“The sponsor permanently suspended new enrollment into the trial and discontinued the study; which was not related to any concerns over product safety.”
- terminated · 2022-12-28 · Joseph Paul Eder · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The study was paused during COVID and without the ability to initiate the 4th arm in the study, the decision was to terminate the study in 2022.”
- terminated · 2022-09-16 · AstraZeneca · Adavosertib“The study terminated because the clinical development programme for Adavosertib has been discontinued”
- terminated · 2022-09-06 · AstraZeneca · [14C]Adavosertib“Study terminated because the clinical development programme for Adavosertib has been discontinued”
- terminated · 2022-09-02 · AstraZeneca · Adavosertib“Study terminated because the clinical development programme for Adavosertib has been discontinued”
- withdrawn · 2022-06-14 · James Cleary, MD, PhD · Adavosertib“manufacturer choice”
- terminated · 2018-09-20 · Samsung Medical Center · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“change regimen”
- terminated · 2017-05-03 · National Cancer Institute (NCI) · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Inadequate accrual rate”
- withdrawn · 2017-05-03 · National Cancer Institute (NCI) · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“Other - Protocol moved to Disapproved”
- terminated · 2017-03-29 · AstraZeneca · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The sponsor decided to terminate the study.”
- terminated · 2016-06-14 · AstraZeneca · matched by the registry's drug synonyms“The study was terminated early by the sponsor.”
Paediatric incentives and obligations for WEE1's drugs
For azenosertib, adavosertib: what EMA and FDA publish about paediatric plans, orphan status and pediatric approvals, and how many registered studies take children. Each line is a yes, no or not published fact from the record linked under it; none of it is a forecast.
- FDA pediatric target list: yes · WEE1 is on the list. Membership alone neither requires nor waives a pediatric study.Rule: Target is on FDA's Pediatric Molecular Target List (relevant targets). Source: FDA Pediatric Molecular Target List (Listed as February 2026 on the FDA Pediatric Oncology page; the file served is 9.7.22_the_relevant_molecular_target_list.xlsx, whose Summary of Changes sheet is headed 'SEPTEMBER 2022 UPDATE' (footnote date 2022-09-01)), 2026-11-11
- EU paediatric investigation plan: yes · EMEA-003069-PIP01-21 (adavosertib, Treatment of malignant endometrial neoplasms;Treatment of pancreatic cancer): W: decision granting a waiver in all age groups for all conditions or indications, 3 Dec 2021Rule: An EMA PIP decision (agreement, modification or waiver) lists the drug as its active substance, exact name. Source: EMA EMEA-003069-PIP01-21, 2026-11-11
- EU orphan designation: no · No EU orphan designation names azenosertib, adavosertibRule: An EU orphan designation lists the drug as its active substance (exact name) or belongs to a medicine that does; withdrawn and expired designations are listed with their status. Source: EMA data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- Authorised in the EU: no · EMA lists no centrally authorised medicine of azenosertib, adavosertibRule: An EMA medicine record lists the drug as its active substance or INN, exact name; national-only authorisations are not in this file. Source: EMA data download (dated snapshot), 2026-11-11
- FDA orphan designation: not published · FDA's orphan designation database turns away automated requests, so this app does not read it; search it by hand at the linkRule: Would be: an FDA orphan designation names the drug. Source: FDA orphan designations search
- FDA pediatric oncology approval: no · FDA's table lists no pediatric approval of azenosertib, adavosertibRule: FDA's Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals table names the drug. Source: FDA Pediatric Oncology Drug Approvals (content current as of 2026-03-03), 2026-11-11
- Registered studies open to children: yes · 6 interventional studies of azenosertib, adavosertib include patients under 18; 1 is recruiting, not yet recruiting or activeRule: The registry's age group includes Child (birth to 17 years), which also counts studies that set no minimum age. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov search, 2026-11-11
Rare pediatric disease voucher. FDA, content current as of 29 Apr 2026: “As of February 3, 2026, enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, the rare pediatric disease PRV program will sunset after September 30, 2029. FDA may not award any PRVs under this program after September 30, 2029.” Voucher sale prices are not shown here; they appear only as company-reported news. FDA: Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Priority Review Voucher Programs
All 2 drugs and clinical candidates as a table
Each drug, stage and indication links to its Open Targets record, where the trials and approvals behind it are listed. Salt forms (for example a mesylate) are listed as Open Targets records them, as separate entries.
| Drug | Type | Highest stage | Indications | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZENOSERTIB | Small molecule | phase 3 | fallopian tube cancer, primary peritoneal carcinoma, ovarian cancer, endometrial serous adenocarcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, cancer, ovarian carcinoma, acute myeloid leukemia, +8 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |
| ADAVOSERTIB | Small molecule | phase 2 | ovarian cancer, cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, non-small cell squamous lung carcinoma, fallopian tube cancer, primary peritoneal carcinoma, head and neck cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, +38 more | Open Targets · ChEMBL |