Novel pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrido[4,3-e]pyrimidine-2-carboxylic acid compounds, a method of synthesizing said compounds, a pharmaceutical composition comprising said compounds and a suitable carrier, and a method of using the compounds. The pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrido[4,3-e]pyrimidine-2-carboxylic acid compounds, identified as CK2 inhibitors, are useful as anticancer and/or antitumor agents, and as agents for treating other kinase-associated conditions including inflammation, pain, and certain immunological disorders, and other types of diseases such as diabetes, viral infection, neurodegenerative diseases.