RESUMEN
As a result of emerging biological data suggesting that within the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) family, JNK1 and not JNK2 or JNK3 may be primarily responsible for fibrosis pathology, we sought to identify JNK inhibitors with an increased JNK1 bias relative to our previous clinical compound tanzisertib (CC-930). This manuscript reports the synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies for a novel series of JNK inhibitors demonstrating an increased JNK1 bias. SAR optimization on a series of 2,4-dialkylamino-pyrimidine-5-carboxamides resulted in the identification of compounds possessing low nanomolar JNK inhibitory potency, overall kinome selectivity, and the ability to inhibit cellular phosphorylation of the direct JNK substrate c-Jun. Optimization of physicochemical properties in this series resulted in compounds that demonstrated excellent systemic exposure following oral dosing, enabling in vivo efficacy studies and the selection of a candidate for clinical development, CC-90001, which is currently in clinical trials (Phase II) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (NCT03142191).
Asunto(s)
Ciclohexilaminas/farmacología , Descubrimiento de Drogas , Proteínas Quinasas JNK Activadas por Mitógenos/antagonistas & inhibidores , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Pirimidinas/farmacología , Animales , Ciclohexilaminas/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Fibrosis Pulmonar Idiopática/tratamiento farmacológico , Fosforilación , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/química , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/uso terapéutico , Pirimidinas/uso terapéutico , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Especificidad por SustratoRESUMEN
The PKC-θ isoform of protein kinase C is selectively expressed in T lymphocytes and plays an important role in the T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-triggered activation of mature T cells, T cell proliferation, and the subsequent release of cytokines such as interleukin-2 (IL-2). Herein, we report the synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a novel series of PKC-θ inhibitors. Through a combination of structure-guided design and exploratory SAR, suitable replacements for the basic C4 amine of the original lead (3) were identified. Property-guided design enabled the identification of appropriately substituted C2 groups to afford potent analogs with metabolic stability and permeability to support in vivo testing. With exquisite general kinase selectivity, cellular inhibition of T cell activation as assessed by IL-2 expression, a favorable safety profile, and demonstrated in vivo efficacy in models of acute and chronic T cell activation with oral dosing, CC-90005 (57) was selected for clinical development.
Asunto(s)
Ciclohexanoles/uso terapéutico , Enfermedad Injerto contra Huésped/tratamiento farmacológico , Factores Inmunológicos/uso terapéutico , Proteína Quinasa C-theta/antagonistas & inhibidores , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/uso terapéutico , Pirimidinas/uso terapéutico , Animales , Células CACO-2 , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Ciclohexanoles/síntesis química , Ciclohexanoles/metabolismo , Humanos , Factores Inmunológicos/síntesis química , Factores Inmunológicos/metabolismo , Activación de Linfocitos/efectos de los fármacos , Masculino , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Estructura Molecular , Unión Proteica , Proteína Quinasa C-delta/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteína Quinasa C-delta/metabolismo , Proteína Quinasa C-theta/metabolismo , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/síntesis química , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/metabolismo , Pirimidinas/síntesis química , Pirimidinas/metabolismo , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Linfocitos T/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
The drugs lenalidomide and pomalidomide bind to the protein cereblon, directing the CRL4-CRBN E3 ligase toward the transcription factors Ikaros and Aiolos to cause their ubiquitination and degradation. Here we describe CC-220 (compound 6), a cereblon modulator in clinical development for systemic lupus erythematosis and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Compound 6 binds cereblon with a higher affinity than lenalidomide or pomalidomide. Consistent with this, the cellular degradation of Ikaros and Aiolos is more potent and the extent of substrate depletion is greater. The crystal structure of cereblon in complex with DDB1 and compound 6 reveals that the increase in potency correlates with increased contacts between compound 6 and cereblon away from the modeled binding site for Ikaros/Aiolos. These results describe a new cereblon modulator which achieves greater substrate degradation via tighter binding to the cereblon E3 ligase and provides an example of the effect of E3 ligase binding affinity with relevance to other drug discovery efforts in targeted protein degradation.
Asunto(s)
Compuestos Heterocíclicos de 4 o más Anillos/farmacología , Factor de Transcripción Ikaros/metabolismo , Péptido Hidrolasas/química , Péptido Hidrolasas/metabolismo , Proteolisis/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas Adaptadoras Transductoras de Señales , Línea Celular Tumoral , Cristalografía por Rayos X , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/química , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/metabolismo , Transferencia Resonante de Energía de Fluorescencia , Compuestos Heterocíclicos de 4 o más Anillos/química , Compuestos Heterocíclicos de 4 o más Anillos/metabolismo , Humanos , Lenalidomida/química , Lenalidomida/metabolismo , Morfolinas , Mieloma Múltiple/tratamiento farmacológico , Mieloma Múltiple/metabolismo , Ftalimidas , Piperidonas , Unión Proteica , Ubiquitina-Proteína LigasasRESUMEN
mTOR is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates cell growth, metabolism, proliferation, and survival. mTOR complex-1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex-2 (mTORC2) are critical mediators of the PI3K-AKT pathway, which is frequently mutated in many cancers, leading to hyperactivation of mTOR signaling. Although rapamycin analogues, allosteric inhibitors that target only the mTORC1 complex, have shown some clinical activity, it is hypothesized that mTOR kinase inhibitors, blocking both mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling, will have expanded therapeutic potential. Here, we describe the preclinical characterization of CC-223. CC-223 is a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of mTOR kinase, demonstrating inhibition of mTORC1 (pS6RP and p4EBP1) and mTORC2 [pAKT(S473)] in cellular systems. Growth inhibitory activity was demonstrated in hematologic and solid tumor cell lines. mTOR kinase inhibition in cells, by CC-223, resulted in more complete inhibition of the mTOR pathway biomarkers and improved antiproliferative activity as compared with rapamycin. Growth inhibitory activity and apoptosis was demonstrated in a panel of hematologic cancer cell lines. Correlative analysis revealed that IRF4 expression level associates with resistance, whereas mTOR pathway activation seems to associate with sensitivity. Treatment with CC-223 afforded in vivo tumor biomarker inhibition in tumor-bearing mice, after a single oral dose. CC-223 exhibited dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition in multiple solid tumor xenografts. Significant inhibition of mTOR pathway markers pS6RP and pAKT in CC-223-treated tumors suggests that the observed antitumor activity of CC-223 was mediated through inhibition of both mTORC1 and mTORC2. CC-223 is currently in phase I clinical trials.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Pirazinas/farmacología , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/antagonistas & inhibidores , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de Xenoinjerto , Animales , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Western Blotting , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Femenino , Células HCT116 , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Diana Mecanicista del Complejo 1 de la Rapamicina , Diana Mecanicista del Complejo 2 de la Rapamicina , Ratones SCID , Estructura Molecular , Complejos Multiproteicos/antagonistas & inhibidores , Complejos Multiproteicos/metabolismo , Neoplasias/irrigación sanguínea , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Neovascularización Patológica/prevención & control , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/química , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Pirazinas/química , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/metabolismo , Carga Tumoral/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
We report here the synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a novel series of triazole containing mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase inhibitors. SAR studies examining the potency, selectivity, and PK parameters for a series of triazole containing 4,6- or 1,7-disubstituted-3,4-dihydropyrazino[2,3-b]pyrazine-2(1H)-ones resulted in the identification of triazole containing mTOR kinase inhibitors with improved PK properties. Potent compounds from this series were found to block both mTORC1(pS6) and mTORC2(pAktS473) signaling in PC-3 cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo. When assessed in efficacy models, analogs exhibited dose-dependent efficacy in tumor xenograft models. This work resulted in the selection of CC-115 for clinical development.
Asunto(s)
Diseño de Fármacos , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/química , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Pirazinas/química , Pirazinas/farmacología , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/antagonistas & inhibidores , Triazoles/química , Triazoles/farmacología , Animales , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Humanos , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Conformación Proteica , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/metabolismo , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacocinética , Pirazinas/metabolismo , Pirazinas/farmacocinética , Ratas , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/química , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/metabolismo , Triazoles/metabolismo , Triazoles/farmacocinética , Ensayos Antitumor por Modelo de XenoinjertoRESUMEN
We report here the synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a novel series of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase inhibitors. A series of 4,6- or 1,7-disubstituted-3,4-dihydropyrazino[2,3-b]pyrazine-2(1H)-ones were optimized for in vivo efficacy. These efforts resulted in the identification of compounds with excellent mTOR kinase inhibitory potency, with exquisite kinase selectivity over the related lipid kinase PI3K. The improved PK properties of this series allowed for exploration of in vivo efficacy and ultimately the selection of CC-223 for clinical development.