Optimization of globomycin analogs as novel gram-negative antibiotics.

Discovery of novel classes of Gram-negative antibiotics with activity against multi-drug resistant infections is a critical unmet need. As an essential member of the lipoprotein biosynthetic pathway, lipoprotein signal peptidase II (LspA) is an attractive target for antibacterial drug discovery, with the natural product inhibitor globomycin offering a modestly-active starting point. Informed by structure-based design, the globomycin depsipeptide was optimized to improve activity against E. coli. Backbone modifications, together with adjustment of physicochemical properties, afforded potent compounds with good in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles. Optimized compounds such as 51 (E. coli MIC 3.1 µM) and 61 (E. coli MIC 0.78 µM) demonstrate broad spectrum activity against gram-negative pathogens and may provide opportunities for future antibiotic discovery.

Potent and selective inhibitors of receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 that lack an aromatic back pocket group.

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), a key component of the cellular necroptosis pathway, has gained recognition as an important therapeutic target. Pharmacologic inhibition or genetic inactivation of RIPK1 has shown promise in animal models of disease ranging from acute ischemic conditions, chronic inflammation, and neurodegeneration. We present here a class of RIPK1 inhibitors that is distinguished by a lack of a lipophilic aromatic group present in most literature inhibitors that typically occupies a hydrophobic back pocket of the protein active site. Despite not having this ubiquitous feature of many known RIPK1 inhibitors, we were able to obtain compounds with good potency, kinase selectivity, and pharmacokinetic properties in rats. The use of the lipophilic yet metabolically stable pentafluoroethyl group was critical to balancing the potency and properties of optimized analogs.

Use of Subcutaneous and Intraperitoneal Administration Methods to Facilitate Cassette Dosing in Microdialysis Studies in Rats.

Microdialysis is a powerful technique allowing for real-time measurement of unbound drug concentrations in brain interstitial fluid in conscious animals. Use of microdialysis in drug discovery is limited by high resource requirement and low throughput, but this may be improved by cassette dosing. Administering multiple compounds intravenously of diverse physiochemical properties, it is often very challenging and time consuming to identify a vehicle that can dissolve all of the compounds. To overcome this limitation, the present study explores the possibility of administering a cassette dose of nine diverse compounds (carbamazepine, citalopram, desmethylclozapine, diphenhydramine, gabapentin, metoclopramide, naltrexone, quinidine, and risperidone) in suspension, rather than in solution, by intraperitoneal and subcutaneous routes, and determining if this is a viable option for assessing blood-brain barrier penetration in microdialysis studies. Repeated hourly subcutaneous dosing during the 6-hour microdialysis study allowed for the best attainment of distributional equilibrium between brain and plasma, resulting in less than a 2-fold difference in the unbound brain to unbound plasma concentration ratio for the cassette dosing method versus discrete dosing. Both subcutaneous and intraperitoneal repeated dosing can provide a more practical substitute for intravenous dosing in determining brain penetration of a cassette of diverse compounds in brain microdialysis studies. The results from the present study demonstrate that dosing compounds in suspension represents a practical approach to eliminating the technical challenge and labor-intensive step of preparation of solutions of a mixture of compounds and will enable the use of the cassette brain microdialysis method in a central nervous system drug discovery setting.

Fibroblast Activation Protein Cleaves and Inactivates Fibroblast Growth Factor 21.

FGF21 is a stress-induced hormone with potent anti-obesity, insulin-sensitizing, and hepatoprotective properties. Although proteolytic cleavage of recombinant human FGF21 in preclinical species has been observed previously, the regulation of endogenously produced FGF21 is not well understood. Here we identify fibroblast activation protein (FAP) as the enzyme that cleaves and inactivates human FGF21. A selective chemical inhibitor, immunodepletion, or genetic deletion of Fap stabilized recombinant human FGF21 in serum. In addition, administration of a selective FAP inhibitor acutely increased circulating intact FGF21 levels in cynomolgus monkeys. On the basis of our findings, we propose selective FAP inhibition as a potential therapeutic approach to increase endogenous FGF21 activity for the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and related metabolic disorders.

From a novel HTS hit to potent, selective, and orally bioavailable KDM5 inhibitors.

A high-throughput screening (HTS) of the Genentech/Roche library identified a novel, uncharged scaffold as a KDM5A inhibitor. Lacking insight into the binding mode, initial attempts to improve inhibitor potency failed to improve potency, and synthesis of analogs was further hampered by the presence of a C-C bond between the pyrrolidine and pyridine. Replacing this with a C-N bond significantly simplified synthesis, yielding pyrazole analog 35, of which we obtained a co-crystal structure with KDM5A. Using structure-based design approach, we identified 50 with improved biochemical, cell potency and reduced MW and lower lipophilicity (LogD) compared with the original hit. Furthermore, 50 showed lower clearance than 9 in mice. In combination with its remarkably low plasma protein binding (PPB) in mice (40%), oral dosing of 50 at 5mg/kg resulted in unbound Cmax ∼2-fold of its cell potency (PC9 H3K4Me3 0.96µM), meeting our criteria for an in vivo tool compound from a new scaffold.

Lead optimization of a pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(4H)-one scaffold to identify potent, selective and orally bioavailable KDM5 inhibitors suitable for in vivo biological studies.

Starting with a lead [1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(4H)-one-containing molecule (1), we generated potent, selective and orally bioavailable KDM5 inhibitors. Using structure- and property-based approaches, we designed 48 with improved cell potency (PC9 H3K4Me3 EC50=0.34µM). Furthermore, 48 maintained suitable physiochemical properties and displayed an excellent pharmacokinetic (PK) profile in mice. When dosed orally in mice at 50mg/kg twice a day (BID), 48 showed an unbound maximal plasma concentration (Cmax) >15-fold over its cell EC50, thereby providing a robust chemical probe for studying KDM5 biological functions in vivo.

Design and evaluation of 1,7-naphthyridones as novel KDM5 inhibitors.

Features from a high throughput screening (HTS) hit and a previously reported scaffold were combined to generate 1,7-naphthyridones as novel KDM5 enzyme inhibitors with nanomolar potencies. These molecules exhibited high selectivity over the related KDM4C and KDM2B isoforms. An X-ray co-crystal structure of a representative molecule bound to KDM5A showed that these inhibitors are competitive with the co-substrate (2-oxoglutarate or 2-OG).

Use of cassette dosing to enhance the throughput of rat brain microdialysis studies.

This study was designed to increase the throughput of rat brain microdialysis studies by administration of compounds as a cassette as opposed to discrete study. Eight compounds (carbamazepine, citalopram, desmethylclozapine, diphenhydramine, gabapentin, metoclopramide, naltrexone, and stavudine) were selected and administered as an intravenous bolus dose at 0.5-3.3 mg/kg each followed by an intravenous infusion at 1 mg/kg per hour for 6 hours in rats in a cassette or discrete dosing. The dialysate, plasma, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid were collected and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The microdialysis probe recovery was determined by an in vitro gain method. The recovery between the cassette and discrete dosing was similar, with an average of 1.0 ± 0.10-fold difference. The stavudine interstitial fluid (ISF) concentration, as measured by brain microdialysis, was below the low limit of quantitation and was excluded from the analyses. The ratios of ISF concentration to unbound plasma concentration were within 2-fold for six of the remaining seven compounds, with an average of 0.92 ± 0.51-fold difference between the cassette and discrete methods. The ratios of ISF concentration to unbound brain concentration, as measured by the brain homogenate method, were also similar, with a 1.1 ± 0.7-fold difference. In addition, the ratios of ISF to cerebrospinal fluid concentrations were similar, with a 1.5 ± 0.6-fold difference. The results from this study support the use of a cassette dosing approach to enhance the throughput of rat brain microdialysis studies in drug discovery.

Use of cassette dosing approach to examine the effects of P-glycoprotein on the brain and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations in wild-type and P-glycoprotein knockout rats.

The study objectives were 1) to test the hypothesis that the lack of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the inhibition of breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp) at the blood-brain barrier after cassette dosing of potent P-gp and Bcrp inhibitors were due to low plasma concentrations of those inhibitors and 2) to examine the effects of P-gp on the unbound brain (C(u,brain)) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations (C(u,CSF)) of P-gp substrates in rats. In vitro inhibition of 11 compounds (amprenavir, citalopram, digoxin, elacridar, imatinib, Ko143 [(3S,6S,12aS)-1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12a-octahydro-9-methoxy-6-(2-methylpropyl)-1,4-dioxopyrazino[1',2':1,6]pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3-propanoic acid 1,1-dimethylethyl ester], loperamide, prazosin, quinidine, sulfasalazine, and verapamil) on P-gp and Bcrp was examined in P-gp- and Bcrp-expressing Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, respectively. An in vivo study was conducted in wild-type and Mdr1a(-/-) rats after subcutaneous cassette dosing of the 11 compounds at 1-3 mg/kg, and the brain, CSF, and plasma concentrations of these compounds were determined. At the maximal unbound concentrations observed in rats at 1-3 mg/kg, P-gp and Bcrp were not inhibited by a cassette of the 11 compounds. For non-P-gp/Bcrp substrates, similar C(u,brain), C(u,CSF), and unbound plasma concentrations (C(u,plasma)) were observed in wild-type and P-gp knockout rats. For P-gp/Bcrp substrates, C(u,brain) ≤ C(u,CSF) ≤ C(u,plasma) in wild-type rats, but C(u,brain) and C(u,CSF) increased in the P-gp knockout rats and were within 3-fold of C(u,plasma) for six of the seven P-gp substrates. These results indicate that P-gp and Bcrp inhibition at the blood-brain barrier is unlikely in cassette dosing and also suggest that P-gp and Bcrp activity at the blood-CSF barrier is functionally not important in determination of the CSF concentration for their substrates.

Potency-Enhanced Peptidomimetic VHL Ligands with Improved Oral Bioavailability.

The von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein plays a pivotal role in regulating the hypoxic stress response and has been extensively studied and utilized in the targeted protein degradation field, particularly in the context of bivalent degraders. In this study, we present a comprehensive peptidomimetic structure-activity relationship (SAR) approach, combined with cellular NanoBRET target engagement assays to enhance the existing VHL ligands. Through systematic modifications of the molecule, we identified the 1,2,3-triazole group as an optimal substitute of the left-hand side amide bond that yields 10-fold higher binding activity. Moreover, incorporating conformationally constrained alterations on the methylthiazole benzylamine moiety led to the development of highly potent VHL ligands with picomolar binding affinity and significantly improved oral bioavailability. We anticipate that our optimized VHL ligand, GNE7599, will serve as a valuable tool compound for investigating the VHL pathway and advancing the field of targeted protein degradation.

Mechanistic pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of BACE1 inhibition in monkeys: development of a predictive model for amyloid precursor protein processing.

This study was conducted to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of two novel inhibitors of ß-site amyloid precursor protein (APP)-cleaving enzyme (BACE1), GNE-629 [(4S,4a'S,10a'S)-2-amino-8'-(2-fluoropyridin-3-yl)-1-methyl-3',4',4a',10a'-tetrahydro-1'H-spiro[imidazole-4,10'-pyrano[4,3-b]chromen]-5(1H)-one] and GNE-892 [(R)-2-amino-1,3',3'-trimethyl-7'-(pyrimidin-5-yl)-3',4'-dihydro-2'H-spiro[imidazole-4,1'-naphthalen]-5(1H)-one], and to develop a PK-PD model to predict in vivo effects based solely on in vitro activity and PK. GNE-629 and GNE-892 concentrations and PD biomarkers including amyloid ß (Aß) in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and secreted APPß (sAPPß) and secreted APPα (sAPPα) in the CSF were measured after a single oral administration of GNE-629 (100 mg/kg) or GNE-892 (30 or 100 mg/kg) in cynomolgus monkeys. A mechanistic PK-PD model was developed to simultaneously characterize the plasma Aß and CSF Aß, sAPPα, and sAPPß using GNE-629 in vivo data. This model was used to predict the in vivo effects of GNE-892 after adjustments based on differences in in vitro cellular activity and PK. The PK-PD model estimated GNE-629 CSF and free plasma IC50 of 0.0033 µM and 0.065 µM, respectively. These differences in CSF and free plasma IC50 suggest that different mechanisms are involved in Aß formation in these two compartments. The predicted in vivo effects for GNE-892 using the PK-PD model were consistent with the observed data. In conclusion, a PK-PD model was developed to mechanistically describe the effects of BACE1 inhibition on Aß, sAPPß, and sAPPα in the CSF, and Aß in the plasma. This model can be used to prospectively predict in vivo effects of new BACE1 inhibitors using just their in vitro activity and PK data.

High-throughput liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the quantitation of small molecules using accurate mass technologies in supporting discovery drug screening.

RATIONALE: Drug discovery samples are routinely analyzed using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) methods on triple quadrupole mass spectrometers employing multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). In order to improve analysis throughput, quantitation of small molecules on a quadrupole time-of-flight (QqTOF) instrument using TOF scan and high-resolution MRM (MRM-HR) modes was evaluated in this study. METHODS: Cassette dosed plasma and brain samples from nine compounds were extracted using a protein precipitation method. Separation was achieved by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Mass spectrometric analysis was performed using TOF scan and high-resolution MRM approaches on a QqTOF mass spectrometer with turbo-ionspray ionization. Results were compared to those obtained on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. RESULTS: The dynamic range varied depending on compounds and instruments and was similar between the MRM on QqQ and full TOF scan mode on QqTOF. Linear or quadratic regression and 1/x(2) weighting were used. Resolution on the QqTOF instrument was around 32000 and mass accuracy was within 4.4 ppm. The MRM-HR method showed better sensitivity compared to the TOF scan method, and was comparable to the MRM on a QqQ mass spectrometer. Assay accuracy was within ±25%. CONCLUSIONS: A TOF scan method allowed the use of the generic method without compound-specific optimization and was an alternative choice for routine high-throughput quantitation of small molecules. The MRM-HR method on the QqTOF showed good sensitivity which was comparable to that obtained by the MRM method on the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.

Design and evaluation of novel 8-oxo-pyridopyrimidine Jak1/2 inhibitors.

A highly ligand efficient, novel 8-oxo-pyridopyrimidine containing inhibitor of Jak1 and Jak2 isoforms with a pyridone moiety as the hinge-binding motif was discovered. Structure-based design strategies were applied to significantly improve enzyme potency and the polarity of the molecule was adjusted to gain cellular activity. The crystal structures of two representative inhibitors bound to Jak1 were obtained to enable SAR exploration.

Novel triazolo-pyrrolopyridines as inhibitors of Janus kinase 1.

The identification of a novel fused triazolo-pyrrolopyridine scaffold, optimized derivatives of which display nanomolar inhibition of Janus kinase 1, is described. Prototypical example 3 demonstrated lower cell potency shift, better permeability in cells and higher oral exposure in rat than the corresponding, previously reported, imidazo-pyrrolopyridine analogue 2. Examples 6, 7 and 18 were subsequently identified from an optimization campaign and demonstrated modest selectivity over JAK2, moderate to good oral bioavailability in rat with overall pharmacokinetic profiles comparable to that reported for an approved pan-JAK inhibitor (tofacitinib).

GTP1 metabolic stability assessment: A study of the tau PET tracer [18F]GTP1.

Tau PET imaging using the tau specific PET tracer [18F]GTP1 has been and is part of therapeutic trials in Alzheimer's disease to monitor the accumulation of tau aggregates in the brain. Herein, we examined the metabolic processes of GTP1 and assessed the influence of smoking on its metabolism through in vitro assays. The tracer metabolic profile was assessed by incubating GTP1 with human liver microsomes (HLM) and human hepatocytes. Since smoking strongly stimulates the CYP1A2 enzyme activity, we incubated GTP1 with recombinant CYP1A2 to evaluate the role of the enzyme in tracer metabolism. It was found that GTP1 could form up to eleven oxidative metabolites with higher polarity than the parent. Only a small amount (2.6 % at 60 min) of a defluorinated metabolite was detected in HLM and human hepatocytes incubations highlighting the stability of GTP1 with respect to enzymatic defluorination. Moreover, the major GTP1 metabolites were not the product of CYP1A2 activity suggesting that smoking may not impact in vivo tracer metabolism and subsequently GTP1 brain kinetics.

Identification of GDC-1971 (RLY-1971), a SHP2 Inhibitor Designed for the Treatment of Solid Tumors.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 mediates RAS-driven MAPK signaling and has emerged in recent years as a target of interest in oncology, both for treating with a single agent and in combination with a KRAS inhibitor. We were drawn to the pharmacological potential of SHP2 inhibition, especially following the initial observation that drug-like compounds could bind an allosteric site and enforce a closed, inactive state of the enzyme. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of GDC-1971 (formerly RLY-1971), a SHP2 inhibitor currently in clinical trials in combination with KRAS G12C inhibitor divarasib (GDC-6036) for the treatment of solid tumors driven by a KRAS G12C mutation.

Use of the cassette-dosing approach to assess brain penetration in drug discovery.

The objective of the present study was to examine the cassette dosing method in determination of brain-to-plasma concentration ratio (area under the concentration-time profiles for plasma/area under the concentration-time profiles for brain, K(p)). Eleven model compounds, amprenavir, citalopram, digoxin, elacridar, imatinib, (3S,6S,12aS)-1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12a-octahydro-9-methoxy-6-(2-methylpropyl)-1,4-dioxopyrazino[1',2':1,6]pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3-propanoic acid 1,1-dimethylethyl ester (Ko143), loperamide, prazosin, quinidine, sulfasalazine, and verapamil, were selected to compare their K(p) determined from discrete dosing in wild-type mice and their K(p) from cassette dosing in wild-type, Mdr1a/1b(-/-), Bcrp1(-/-), and Mdr1a/1b(-/-)/Bcrp1(-/-) mice at 1 to 3 mg/kg. The mice brain and plasma were collected at 0.25, 1, and 3 h and were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods. The K(p) determined from discrete dosing versus cassette dosing in the wild-type mice were within 2-fold for all the compounds except sulfasalazine and Ko143. The brain concentrations of sulfasalazine and Ko143 and the plasma concentrations of Ko143 were below the lower limit of quantitation. In addition, the K(p) values estimated by mass spectrometry responses, namely the ratio of compound peak area to internal standard peak area, were within 2-fold of the K(p) observed from the actual concentrations. Furthermore, the ratios of K(p) in Mdr1a/1b(-/-), Bcrp1(-/-), and Mdr1a/1b(-/-)/Bcrp1(-/-) mice versus the K(p) in the wild-type mice from cassette dosing were consistent with the ones reported in the literature where the compounds were dosed discretely. These results demonstrate that drug-drug interactions at the blood-brain barrier are unlikely at a subcutaneous dose of 1 to 3 mg/kg and support the use of the cassette dosing approach to assess brain penetration in drug discovery.

Structure-based discovery of C-2 substituted imidazo-pyrrolopyridine JAK1 inhibitors with improved selectivity over JAK2.

Herein we describe our successful efforts in obtaining C-2 substituted imidazo-pyrrolopyridines with improved JAK1 selectivity relative to JAK2 by targeting an amino acid residue that differs between the two isoforms (JAK1: E966; JAK2: D939). Efforts to improve cellular potency by reducing the polarity of the inhibitors are also detailed. The X-ray crystal structure of a representative inhibitor in complex with the JAK1 enzyme is also disclosed.

Evaluating the Pharmacokinetics and Systemic Effects of a Permeability Enhancer Sodium N-[8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino] Caprylate in Rats.

Oral administration is the preferred route for drug delivery and its success is highly dependent on a compound's ADME properties, of which, permeability plays a major role. Therefore, permeability enhancers are an attractive area of research in the pharmaceutical industry. Recent data suggest that sodium N-[8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl) amino] caprylate (SNAC) is an effective permeability enhancer, yet the pharmacokinetic (PK) and systemic effects of SNAC are poorly understood, specifically its oral bioavailability and systemic effects on distribution, which could influence the safety of certain drugs. To answer these questions, both in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted. Of 3 permeability enhancers (SNAC, 4-CNAB, and 5-CNAC), SNAC was found to have the greatest effect on the absorption of cyanocobalamin in rats. It was also found that SNAC is orally bioavailable (almost 40%) when dosed to rats. Based on these findings, tool compounds were co-dosed in rats to further evaluate the systemic effects of SNAC. Oral co-dosing of SNAC with an intravenous infusion of 2 poorly brain penetrant compounds, quinidine, and gabapentin, did not increase brain ISF: plasma ratio or total brain:plasma ratio for either of these compounds, implying that SNAC is effective only in the intestine at pharmacologically relevant concentrations.

GluN2A NMDA Receptor Enhancement Improves Brain Oscillations, Synchrony, and Cognitive Functions in Dravet Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease Models.

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) play subunit-specific roles in synaptic function and are implicated in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the in vivo consequences and therapeutic potential of pharmacologically enhancing NMDAR function via allosteric modulation are largely unknown. We examine the in vivo effects of GNE-0723, a positive allosteric modulator of GluN2A-subunit-containing NMDARs, on brain network and cognitive functions in mouse models of Dravet syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). GNE-0723 use dependently potentiates synaptic NMDA receptor currents and reduces brain oscillation power with a predominant effect on low-frequency (12-20 Hz) oscillations. Interestingly, DS and AD mouse models display aberrant low-frequency oscillatory power that is tightly correlated with network hypersynchrony. GNE-0723 treatment reduces aberrant low-frequency oscillations and epileptiform discharges and improves cognitive functions in DS and AD mouse models. GluN2A-subunit-containing NMDAR enhancers may have therapeutic benefits in brain disorders with network hypersynchrony and cognitive impairments.