Pantothenate kinase (EC 2.7. 1.33, PanK; CoaA) is the first enzyme in the Coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthetic pathway. It phosphorylates pantothenate (vitamin B5) to form 4'-phosphopantothenate at the expense of a molecule of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is the rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of CoA.
PZ-2891 is a specific and brain-permeable Pantothenate kinase (PANK) modulator, acting as an orthosteric inhibitor with IC50 of 1.3 nM for hPANK3 and also an allosteric activator of PANK3 activity in the presence of acetyl-CoA in biochemical assays.