Researchers from the University of Granada, together with researchers from the University of Edinburgh, have described a new family of purine derivatives that act as selective inhibitors of DAPK-1 (Death-associated protein kinase 1).

The relevant role of DAPK-1 in the proapoptotic channels is highlighted by the fact that many chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells negatively regulate the expression of the protein and favour tumour progression.

The purine family the invention refers to allows pharmaceutical compounds to be obtained that can be used as drugs for the treatment of illnesses that require DAPK-1 inhibition, especially for the treatment of cancer, such as leukaemia.