Bisindolylmaleimide III was developed as a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor with structural similarity to the nonspecific PKC inhibitor staurosporine. At 1 μM, bisindolylmaleimide III inhibits 93% of PKCα kinase activity and also inhibits many other protein kinases including, S6K1, MAPKAP-K1, RSK2 and MSK1 with similar potency. Additionally, it inhibits PDK1, an important kinase in the insulin signaling pathway, with an IC50 value of 3.8 μM.
