Used in research settings as a potent and selective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), particularly CDK4 and CDK6. It is employed to study cell cycle regulation and has shown promise in preclinical models for the treatment of certain cancers, especially those driven by dysregulation of the retinoblastoma (Rb) pathway. Its application is primarily in oncology drug development, where it helps elucidate the role of CDK4/6 in tumor proliferation and supports the design of targeted therapies. Due to its specificity, it is also used as a tool compound to differentiate CDK4/6-dependent from -independent mechanisms in cellular assays.