Discovery of Highly Potent and Selective IKZF2 Degraders for Cancer Immunotherapy

Immunosuppressive Tregs, regulated by IKZF2, facilitate tumor immune evasion and resistance to immune checkpoint therapies. Targeted IKZF2 degradation represents a promising strategy for the development of innovative cancer immunotherapeutics. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel series of phthalazinone-based glutarimide derivatives, identifying compound 25 as a potent, highly selective, and rapid-acting IKZF2 molecular glue degrader. Compound 25 induced robust IKZF2 degradation (DC50 = 1.78 nM and Dmax = 93.2%) via a Cullin-CRBN-dependent pathway, while sparing other CRBN neosubstrates and outperforming the benchmark degrader DKY709. Mechanistically, 25-induced IKZF2 deletion enhanced the proinflammatory IL-2 production and attenuated the immunosuppressive function of Tregs. Oral administration of 25 triggered rapid, profound, and sustained IKZF2 degradation in mice spleen and thymus. As monotherapy, 25 significantly suppressed B16F tumor growth, and 25 combined with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy exhibited marked synergistic effects. Together, our findings demonstrate 25 as a promising IKZF2 degrader for advancing cancer immunotherapy.