Considerations and recommendations for assessment of plasma protein binding and drug-drug interactions for siRNA therapeutics.

At the time of writing, although siRNA therapeutics are approved for human use, no official regulatory guidance specific to this modality is available. In the absence of guidance, preclinical development for siRNA followed a hybrid of the small molecule and biologics guidance documents. However, siRNA differs significantly from small molecules and protein-based biologics in its physicochemical, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion properties, and its mechanism of action. Consequently, certain reports typically included in filing packages for small molecule or biologics may benefit from adaption, or even omission, from an siRNA filing. In this white paper, members of the 'siRNA working group' in the IQ Consortium compile a list of reports included in approved siRNA filing packages and discuss the relevance of two in vitro reports-the plasma protein binding evaluation and the drug-drug interaction risk assessment-to support siRNA regulatory filings. Publicly available siRNA approval packages and the literature were systematically reviewed to examine the role of siRNA plasma protein binding and drug-drug interactions in understanding pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships, safety and translation. The findings are summarized into two decision trees to help guide industry decide when in vitro siRNA plasma protein binding and drug-drug interaction studies are warranted.

In Vivo Mechanism of Action of Sodium Caprate for Improving the Intestinal Absorption of a GLP1/GIP Coagonist Peptide.

Sodium caprate (C10) has been widely evaluated as an intestinal permeation enhancer for the oral delivery of macromolecules. However, the effect of C10 on the intestinal absorption of peptides with different physicochemical properties and its permeation-enhancing effect in vivo remains to be understood. Here, we evaluated the effects of C10 on intestinal absorption in rats with a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GIP-GLP1) dual agonist peptide (LY) and semaglutide with different enzymatic stabilities and self-association behaviors as well as the oral exposure of the LY peptide in minipigs. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanism of action (MoA) of C10 for improving the intestinal absorption of the LY peptide in vivo via live imaging of the rat intestinal epithelium and tissue distribution of the LY peptide in minipigs. The LY peptide showed higher proteolytic stability in pancreatin and was a monomer in solution compared to that in semaglutide. C10 increased in vitro permeability in the minipig intestinal organoid monolayer to a greater extent for the LY peptide than for semaglutide. In the rat jejunal closed-loop model, C10 increased the absorption of LY peptide better than that of semaglutide, which might be attributed to higher in vitro proteolytic stability and permeability of the LY peptide. Using confocal live imaging, we observed that C10 enabled the rapid oral absorption of a model macromolecule (FD4) in the rat intestine. In the duodenum tissues of minipigs, C10 was found to qualitatively reduce the tight junction protein level and allow peptide uptake to the intestinal cells. C10 decreased the transition temperature of the artificial lipid membrane, indicating an increase in membrane fluidity, which is consistent with the above in vivo imaging results. These data indicated that the LY's favorable physicochemical properties combined with the effects of C10 on the intestinal mucosa resulted in an ∼2% relative bioavailability in minipigs.

Increasing the Reuse of Protein Non-Naïve Nonhuman Primates in Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery and Development: An Overview and Industry Position on the Challenges and Benefits.

The IQ Consortium NHP Reuse Working Group (WG) comprises members from 15 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. In 2020, the WG developed and distributed a detailed questionnaire on protein non-naïve NHP reuse to the WG member companies. The WG received responses from key stakeholders including principal investigators, facility managers, animal welfare officers and research scientists. This paper's content reflects the consolidated opinion of the WG members and the questionnaire responses on the subject of NHP reuse within nonclinical programs at all stages of research and development. Many of the pharmaceutical companies represented in the working group or participating in the questionnaire have already achieved some level of NHP reuse in their nonclinical programs, but the survey results suggested that there is significant potential to increase NHP reuse further and a need to understand the considerations involved in reuse more clearly. The WG has also focused carefully on the inherent concerns and risks of implementing protein non-naive NHP reuse and has evaluated the best methods of risk assessment and decision-making. This paper presents a discussion on the challenges and opportunities surrounding protein non-naïve NHP reuse and aims to stimulate further industry dialogue on the subject and provide guidance for pharmaceutical companies to establish roadmaps and decision trees enabling increased protein non-naïve NHP reuse. In addition, this paper represents a solid basis for collaborative engagement between pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with contract research organizations (CROs) to discuss how the availability of protein non-naïve NHP within CROs can be better leveraged for their use within nonclinical studies.

Discovery of ABT-957: 1-Benzyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxamides as selective calpain inhibitors with enhanced metabolic stability.

Aberrant activation of calpain has been observed in various pathophysiological disorders including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease. Here we describe our efforts on ketoamide-based 1-benzyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxamides as a novel series of highly selective calpain inhibitors mitigating the metabolic liability of carbonyl reduction. The most advanced compound from this new series, namely A-1212805 (ABT-957, Alicapistat) proceeded to clinical phase I studies.

Metabolism and Disposition of a Novel B-Cell Lymphoma-2 Inhibitor Venetoclax in Humans and Characterization of Its Unusual Metabolites.

Venetoclax (ABT-199), a B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein inhibitor, is currently in clinical development for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. We characterized the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of venetoclax in humans. After a single oral dose of [14C]venetoclax to healthy volunteers, the recovery of total radioactive dose was 100%, with feces being the major route of elimination of the administered dose, whereas urinary excretion was minimal (<0.1%). The extent of absorption was estimated to be at least 65%. Venetoclax was primarily cleared by hepatic metabolism (∼66% of the administered dose). ∼33% of the administered dose was recovered as the parent drug and its nitro reduction metabolite M30 [2-((1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-5-yl)oxy)-N-((3-amino-4-(((tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl)methyl)amino)phenyl)sulfonyl)-4-(4-((4'-chloro-5,5-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yl)methyl)piperazin-1-yl)benzamide] (13%) in feces. Biotransformation of venetoclax in humans primarily involves enzymatic oxidation on the dimethyl cyclohexenyl moiety, followed by sulfation and/or nitro reduction. Nitro reduction metabolites were likely formed by gut bacteria. Unchanged venetoclax was the major drug-related material in circulation, representing 72.8% of total plasma radioactivity. M27 (oxidation at the 6 position of cyclohexenyl ring followed by cyclization at the α-carbon of piperazine ring; 4-[(10aR,11aS)-7-(4-chlorophenyl)-9,9-dimethyl-1,3,4,6,8,10,10a,11a-octahydropyrazino[2,1-b][1,3]benzoxazin-2-yl]-N-[3-nitro-4-(tetrahydropyran-4-ylmethylamino)phenyl]sulfonyl-2-(1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-5-yloxy)benzamide) was identified as a major metabolite, representing 12% of total drug-related material. M27 was primarily formed by cytochrome P450 isoform 3A4 (CYP3A4). Steady-state plasma concentrations of M27 in human and preclinical species used for safety testing suggested that M27 is a disproportionate human metabolite. M27 is not expected to have clinically relevant on- or off-target pharmacologic activities.

Disposition and drug-drug interaction potential of veliparib (ABT-888), a novel and potent inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.

The disposition of veliparib [(R)-2-(2-methylpyrrolidin-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4-carboxamide, ABT-888], a novel and potent inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase for the treatment of cancers, was investigated in rats and dogs after intravenous and oral administration of [(3)H]veliparib and compared with that of humans. Veliparib absorption was high. Dosed radioactivity was widely distributed in rat tissues. The majority of drug-related material was excreted in urine as unchanged drug (approximately 54, 41, and 70% of the dose in rats, dogs, and humans, respectively). A lactam M8 and an amino acid M3 were two major excretory metabolites in animals. In the circulation of animals and humans, veliparib was the major drug-related component, and M8 was one of the major metabolites. Monooxygenated metabolite M2 was significant in the rat and dog, and M3 was also significant in the dog. Veliparib biotransformation occurred on the pyrrolidine moiety via formation of a lactam, an amino acid, and an N-carbamoyl glucuronide, in addition to oxidation on benzoimidazole carboxamide and sequential glucuronidation. In vitro experiments using recombinant human cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes identified CYP2D6 as the major enzyme metabolizing veliparib with minor contributions from CYP1A2, 2C19, and 3A4. Veliparib did not inhibit or induce the activities of major human P450s. Veliparib was a weak P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate, showing no P-gp inhibition. Taken together, these studies indicate a low potential for veliparib to cause clinically significant P-gp or P450-mediated drug-drug interactions (DDIs). Overall, the favorable dispositional and DDI profiles of veliparib should be beneficial to its safety and efficacy.

Bispecific Targeting of PD-1 and PD-L1 Enhances T-cell Activation and Antitumor Immunity.

The programmed cell death protein 1 receptor (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) coinhibitory pathway suppresses T-cell-mediated immunity. We hypothesized that cotargeting of PD-1 and PD-L1 with a bispecific antibody molecule could provide an alternative therapeutic approach, with enhanced antitumor activity, compared with monospecific PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies. Here, we describe LY3434172, a bispecific IgG1 mAb with ablated Fc immune effector function that targets both human PD-1 and PD-L1. LY3434172 fully inhibited the major inhibitory receptor-ligand interactions in the PD-1 pathway. LY3434172 enhanced functional activation of T cells in vitro compared with the parent anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibody combination or respective monotherapies. In mouse tumor models reconstituted with human immune cells, LY3434172 therapy induced dramatic and potent antitumor activity compared with each parent antibody or their combination. Collectively, these results demonstrated the enhanced immunomodulatory (immune blockade) properties of LY3434172, which improved antitumor immune response in preclinical studies, thus supporting its evaluation as a novel bispecific cancer immunotherapy.

Quantitation of pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts in nasal and oral mucosa of rats treated chronically with enantiomers of N'-nitrosonornicotine.

N'-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is one of the most important strong carcinogens in tobacco products and is believed to play a significant role in the induction of esophageal cancer in smokers and oral cavity cancer in snuff dippers. NNN is metabolically activated through cytochrome P450-catalyzed alpha-hydroxylation. 2'-Hydroxylation produces a reactive intermediate 4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobutanediazohydroxide (7), which alkylates DNA to form pyridyloxobutyl (POB)-DNA adducts. DNA pyridyloxobutylation from NNN treatment, as measured by released 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (HPB, 8), has been observed in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, we have used liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) to analyze specific POB-DNA adducts in the nasal olfactory, nasal respiratory, and oral mucosa of F344 rats treated chronically with (R)-NNN or (S)-NNN in the drinking water (10 ppm, 1-20 weeks). Adduct levels in the nasal respiratory mucosa exceeded those in the nasal olfactory and oral mucosa. (R)-NNN treatment generated 2-4 times more adducts in the nasal olfactory and respiratory mucosa than did (S)-NNN at most time points. O(2)-[4-(3-Pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]thymidine (O(2)-POB-dThd, 11) predominated in the nasal olfactory and respiratory mucosa, followed by 7-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]guanine (7-POB-Gua, 14). Levels of O(2)-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]cytosine (O(2)-POB-Cyt, 13) and O(6)-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]-2'-deoxyguanosine (O(6)-POB-dGuo, 12) were significantly lower. In the oral mucosa, the opposite stereoselectivity was observed, with (S)-NNN treatment producing 3-5 times more POB-DNA adducts than did (R)-NNN. O(2)-POB-dThd and 7-POB-dGuo were the two major adducts, and their levels were similar. Overall, POB-DNA adduct formation in the nasal olfactory and nasal respiratory mucosa was similar to that previously observed in the lung, whereas in the oral mucosa, the trend resembled that in the esophagus. These results indicate that different mechanisms are involved in NNN metabolism and tumorigenesis in rat nasal and oral tissues. NNN enters the nasal mucosa through the circulation, and tissue-specific metabolism is important, while in the oral mucosa, direct exposure and local activation both play significant roles. Our results also support the potential importance of NNN as an oral carcinogen in people who use smokeless tobacco products.

Analysis of pyridyloxobutyl and pyridylhydroxybutyl DNA adducts in extrahepatic tissues of F344 rats treated chronically with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and enantiomers of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol.

The tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and its metabolite 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) are potent pulmonary carcinogens in rats. NNK and NNAL require metabolic activation to express their carcinogenicity. Cytochrome P450-catalyzed alpha-hydroxylation at the methyl position of NNK or NNAL generates reactive intermediates, which alkylate DNA to form pyridyloxobutyl (POB)-DNA adducts or pyridylhydroxybutyl (PHB)-DNA adducts. NNK is metabolized to NNAL in a reversible and stereoselective manner, and the tissue-specific retention of (S)-NNAL is believed to be important to the carcinogenicity of NNK. In the present study, we investigated the formation of POB- and PHB-DNA adducts in extrahepatic tissues of F344 rats treated chronically with NNK and (R)- and (S)-NNAL (10 ppm in the drinking water, 1-20 weeks). POB- and PHB-DNA adducts were quantified in nasal olfactory mucosa, nasal respiratory mucosa, oral mucosa, and pancreas of treated rats. Adduct formation in the nasal respiratory mucosa exceeded that in the other tissues. O(2)-[4-(3-Pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]thymidine (O(2)-POB-dThd) or O(2)-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-hydroxybut-1-yl]thymidine (O(2)-PHB-dThd) was the major adduct, followed by 7-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]guanine (7-POB-Gua) or 7-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-hydroxybut-1-yl]guanine (7-PHB-Gua). There was a remarkable similarity in adduct formation between the NNK and the (S)-NNAL groups, both of which were distinctively different from that in the (R)-NNAL group. For example, in the nasal olfactory mucosa, POB-DNA adduct levels in the NNK and (S)-NNAL groups were not significantly different from each other, while (R)-NNAL treatment generated 6-33 times lower amounts of POB-DNA adducts than did NNK treatment. In contrast, (R)-NNAL treatment produced significantly higher levels of PHB-DNA adducts than did NNK or (S)-NNAL treatment. Similar trends were observed in the nasal respiratory mucosa, oral mucosa, and pancreas. These results suggest extensive retention of (S)-NNAL in various tissues of NNK-treated rats and support a mechanism in which the preferential metabolism of NNK to (S)-NNAL, followed by sequestration of (S)-NNAL in the target tissues and reoxidation to NNK, is important to NNK tumorigenesis.

The influence of repair pathways on the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity induced by the pyridyloxobutylation pathway of tobacco-specific nitrosamines.

Tobacco-specific nitrosamines, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and N'-nitrosonornicotine, are considered to be human carcinogens. Both compounds are metabolized to pyridyloxobutylating intermediates that react with DNA to form adducts such as 7-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]guanine, O(2)-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]cytosine, O(2)-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]-2'-deoxythymidine (O(2)-pobdT), O(6)-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]-2'-deoxyguanosine (O(6)-pobdG), and 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-releasing adducts. The role of specific DNA adducts in the overall genotoxic activity of the pyridyloxobutylation pathway is not known. One adduct, O(6)-pobdG, is mutagenic. To characterize the mutagenic and cytotoxic properties of pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts, the impact of DNA repair pathways on the cytotoxic and mutagenic properties of the model pyridyloxobutylating agent, 4-(acetoxymethylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNKOAc), was investigated in Chinese hamster ovary cell lines proficient or deficient in O(6)-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase (AGT), deficient in both AGT and base excision repair (BER), or deficient in both AGT and nucleotide excision repair (NER). The repair of the four pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts was determined in the same cell lines via sensitive LC-MS/MS methods. NNKOAc was more cytotoxic in the cell lines lacking AGT, BER, and NER repair pathways. It also induced more mutations in the hprt gene in the BER- and NER-deficient cell lines. However, AGT expression did not influence NNKOAc's mutagenicity despite efficient repair of O(6)-pobdG. Analysis of the hprt mutational spectra indicated that NNKOAc primarily caused point mutations at AT base pairs. GC to AT transition mutations were a minor contributor to the overall mutation spectrum, providing a rationale for the observation that AGT does not protect against the overall mutagenic properties of NNKOAc in this model system. The only adduct affected by the absence of effective NER was O(2)-pobdT. Slower repair of O(2)-pobdT in NER-deficient cells was associated with increased AT to TA transversion mutations, supporting the hypothesis that these mutations are caused by O(2)-pobdT. Together, these data support a hypothesis that the pyridyloxobutylation pathway generates multiple mutagenic and toxic adducts.

Mitigating the Metabolic Liability of Carbonyl Reduction: Novel Calpain Inhibitors with P1' Extension.

Dysregulation of calpains 1 and 2 has been implicated in a variety of pathological disorders including ischemia/reperfusion injuries, kidney diseases, cataract formation, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). 2-(3-Phenyl-1H)-pyrazol-1-yl)nicotinamides represent a series of novel and potent calpain inhibitors with high selectivity and in vivo efficacy. However, carbonyl reduction leading to the formation of the inactive hydroxyamide was identified as major metabolic liability in monkey and human, a pathway not reflected by routine absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) assays. Using cytosolic clearance as a tailored in vitro ADME assay coupled with in vitro hepatocyte metabolism enabled the identification of analogues with enhanced stability against carbonyl reduction. These efforts led to the identification of P1' modified calpain inhibitors with significantly improved pharmacokinetic profile including P1' N-methoxyamide 23 as potential candidate compound for non-central nervous system indications.

Discovery of Novel Aminotetralines and Aminochromanes as Selective and Competitive Glycine Transporter 1 (GlyT1) Inhibitors.

The glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) has emerged as a key novel target for the treatment of schizophrenia. Herein, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of aminotetralines and aminochromanes as novel classes of competitive GlyT1 inhibitors. Starting from a high-throughput screening hit, structure-activity relationship studies led first to the discovery of aminotetralines displaying high GlyT1 potency and selectivity, with favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Systematic investigations of various parameters (e.g., topological polar surface area, number of hydrogen bond donors) guided by ex vivo target occupancy evaluation resulted in lead compounds possessing favorable brain penetration properties as for (7 S,8 R)-27a. Further optimization revealed compounds with reduced efflux liabilities as for aminochromane 51b. In an in vivo efficacy model (7 S,8 R)-27a, dose-dependently reversed L-687,414 induced hyperlocomotion in mice with an ED50 of 0.8 mg/kg. All these results suggest (7 S,8 R)-27a and 51b as new GlyT1 inhibitors worthy of further profiling.

De Novo Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of 3,4-Disubstituted Pyrrolidine Sulfonamides as Potent and Selective Glycine Transporter 1 Competitive Inhibitors.

The development of glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitors may offer putative treatments for schizophrenia and other disorders associated with hypofunction of the glutaminergic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Herein, we describe the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of 3,4-disubstituted pyrrolidine sulfonamides as competitive GlyT1 inhibitors that arose from de novo scaffold design. Relationship of chemical structure to drug-drug interaction (DDI) and bioactivation was mechanistically investigated. Murine studies were strategically incorporated into the screening funnel to provide early assessments of in vivo target occupancy (TO) by ex vivo binding studies. Advanced compounds derived from iterative structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies possessed high potency in ex vivo binding studies and good brain penetration, promising preliminary in vivo efficacy, acceptable preclinical pharmacokinetics, and manageable DDI and bioactivation liabilities.

Discovery of Novel and Highly Selective Inhibitors of Calpain for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: 2-(3-Phenyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-nicotinamides.

Calpain overactivation has been implicated in a variety of pathological disorders including ischemia/reperfusion injury, cataract formation, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Herein we describe our efforts leading to the identification of ketoamide-based 2-(3-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)nicotinamides as potent and reversible inhibitors of calpain with high selectivity versus related cysteine protease cathepsins, other proteases, and receptors. Broad efficacy in a set of preclinical models relevant to AD suggests that inhibition of calpain represents an attractive approach with potential benefit for the treatment of AD.

Genotoxicity of acetaldehyde- and crotonaldehyde-induced 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine DNA adducts in human cells.

Reaction of crotonaldehyde or two molecules of acetaldehyde with DNA generates 3-(2'-deoxyribos-1'-yl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-hydroxy-6-methylpyrimido[1,2-a]purine-10(3H)one (2, Scheme 1), which occurs in (6R, 8R) and (6S, 8S) configurations (Fig. 1). These diastereomers were site-specifically incorporated into oligonucleotides, which were then inserted into a double-stranded DNA vector for genotoxicity studies. Modified DNA was introduced into human xeroderma pigmentosum A (XPA) cells to allow replication. Analysis of progeny plasmid revealed that these DNA adducts inhibit DNA synthesis to similar degrees. (6S, 8S)-2 miscodes more frequently than (6R, 8R)-2: 10% versus 5%. For both adducts, major miscoding events were G-->T transversions, but G-->A transitions were also observed at a comparable level for (6R, 8R)-2. G-->C transversions were the second most common events for (6S, 8S)-2. Comparison of these results with those of other 1,N2-propanodeoxyguanosine (PdG) adducts, which were evaluated by the same system, indicates that (i) their synthesis inhibiting potencies are stronger than that of the unsubstituted analog, 3-(2'-deoxyribos-1'-yl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-hydroxypyrimido[1,2-a]purine-10(3H)one (1, Scheme 1), but weaker than that of 3-(2'-deoxyribos-1'-yl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-6-hydroxypyrimido[1,2-a]purine-10(3H)one (3, Scheme 1); (ii) both isomers of 2 are more miscoding than 1; (iii) the miscoding potency of (6S, 8S)-2 is comparable to those of 3 and a model PdG 4 lacking a hydroxyl and a methyl group (Fig. 1). Therefore, considering the fact that 2 are formed endogenously as well as exogenously, they may play a significant role in aging and cancer in humans.

A long-duration dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor (DSM265) for prevention and treatment of malaria.

Malaria is one of the most significant causes of childhood mortality, but disease control efforts are threatened by resistance of the Plasmodium parasite to current therapies. Continued progress in combating malaria requires development of new, easy to administer drug combinations with broad-ranging activity against all manifestations of the disease. DSM265, a triazolopyrimidine-based inhibitor of the pyrimidine biosynthetic enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), is the first DHODH inhibitor to reach clinical development for treatment of malaria. We describe studies profiling the biological activity, pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties, and safety of DSM265, which supported its advancement to human trials. DSM265 is highly selective toward DHODH of the malaria parasite Plasmodium, efficacious against both blood and liver stages of P. falciparum, and active against drug-resistant parasite isolates. Favorable pharmacokinetic properties of DSM265 are predicted to provide therapeutic concentrations for more than 8 days after a single oral dose in the range of 200 to 400 mg. DSM265 was well tolerated in repeat-dose and cardiovascular safety studies in mice and dogs, was not mutagenic, and was inactive against panels of human enzymes/receptors. The excellent safety profile, blood- and liver-stage activity, and predicted long half-life in humans position DSM265 as a new potential drug combination partner for either single-dose treatment or once-weekly chemoprevention. DSM265 has advantages over current treatment options that are dosed daily or are inactive against the parasite liver stage.

Prediction of clinical drug-drug interactions of veliparib (ABT-888) with human renal transporters (OAT1, OAT3, OCT2, MATE1, and MATE2K).

Veliparib (ABT-888) is largely eliminated as parent drug in human urine (70% of the dose). Renal unbound clearance exceeds glomerular filtration rate, suggesting the involvement of transporter-mediated active secretion. Clinically relevant pharmacokinetic interactions in the kidney have been associated with OAT1, OAT3, OCT2, MATE1, and MATE2K. In the present study, interactions of veliparib with these transporters were investigated. Veliparib inhibited OAT1, OAT3, OCT2, MATE1, and MATE2K with IC50 values of 1371, 505, 3913, 69.9, and 69.5 µM, respectively. The clinical unbound maximum plasma concentration of veliparib after single oral dose of 50 mg (0.45 µM) is manyfold lower than IC50 values for OAT1, OAT3, OCT2, MATE1, or MATE2K. These results indicate a low potential for drug-drug interaction (DDI) with OAT1/3, OCT2, or MATE1/2K. Additional studies demonstrated that veliparib is a substrate of OCT2. In Oct1/Oct2 double-knockout mice, the plasma exposure of veliparib was increased by 1.5-fold, and the renal clearance was decreased by 1.8-fold as compared with wild-type mice, demonstrating that organic cation transporters contribute to the renal elimination in vivo. In summary, the in vitro transporter data for veliparib predicts minimal potential for an OAT1/3-, OCT2-, and MATE1/2K-mediated DDI given the clinical exposure after single oral dose of 50 mg.

Identification of adducts formed in the reaction of alpha-acetoxy-N-nitrosopyrrolidine with deoxyribonucleosides and DNA.

N-Nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) is a well-established hepatocarcinogen in the rat. NPYR requires metabolic activation by cytochrome P450-catalyzed alpha-hydroxylation to express its carcinogenic activity. This produces alpha-hydroxyNPYR (2), which spontaneously ring opens to 4-oxobutanediazohydroxide (4), a highly reactive intermediate, which may itself modify DNA or yield a cascade of electrophiles that react with DNA to produce adducts. Multiple dGuo adducts formed in this reaction have been previously characterized, but there are no examples of adducts formed with other DNA nucleobases. In this study, we used alpha-acetoxyNPYR (3) as a stable precursor to 2 and 4. Compound 3 was allowed to react with DNA. The DNA was enzymatically hydrolyzed to deoxyribonucleosides, and the products were analyzed by LC-ESI-MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS. Reactions of 3 with individual deoxyribonucleosides were also carried out. The products were identified by their MS, UV, and NMR spectra as N6-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)dAdo (16) and N4-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)dCyd (17) in addition to the previously characterized N2-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)dGuo (13). Unstable dThd adducts were also formed. Further characterization of the adducts was achieved by NaBH3CN reduction of the reaction mixtures of 3 with deoxyribonucleosides or DNA. This produced N6-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dAdo (21), N4-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dCyd (22), O2-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dThd (23), O4-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dThd (24), and 3-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dThd (25). Adducts 21 and 22 were characterized by their spectral properties, while the dThd adducts 23-25 were identified by comparison to synthetic standards. The results of this study demonstrate that 3 forms adducts with dAdo, dCyd, and dThd in DNA, in addition to the previously characterized dGuo adducts. These newly characterized standards can be used to investigate DNA adduct formation in rats treated with NPYR.

Analysis of adducts in hepatic DNA of rats treated with N-nitrosopyrrolidine.

N-Nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) is a hepatocarcinogen in rats. It is metabolically activated by cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver leading to the formation of 4-oxobutanediazohydroxide (4) and related intermediates that react with DNA to form adducts. Because DNA adducts are thought to be critical in carcinogenesis by NPYR, we analyzed hepatic DNA of NPYR-treated rats for several adducts: N2-(tetrahydrofuran-1-yl)dGuo (N2-THF-dGuo, 13), N6-THF-dAdo (14), N4-THF-dCyd (17), and dThd adducts 15 and 16. The rats were treated with NPYR in the drinking water, 600 ppm for 1 week, or 200 ppm for 4 or 13 weeks. Hepatic DNA was isolated, enzymatically hydrolyzed, and analyzed by capillary LC-ESI-MS-SIM, which indicated the presence of adducts 13, 14, and 17. Because these adducts can be unstable at the deoxyribonucleoside level, further analyses were carried out using DNA treated with NaBH3CN, which converts adducts 13-17 to N2-(4-hydroxybut-1-yl)dGuo [N2-(4-HOB)dGuo, 18], N6-(4-HOB)dAdo (19), O2-(4-HOB)dThd (20), O4-(4-HOB)dThd (21), and N4-(4-HOB)dCyd (22). [15N]-Labeled analogues of adducts 18-20 and 22 were synthesized and used in this analysis, which was performed by capillary LC-ESI-MS/MS-SRM. Convincing evidence for the presence of adducts 18-22 was obtained. Levels of 18, 19, 20, and 21 were (mumol/mol dGuo): 3.41-5.39, 0.02-0.04, 2.56-3.87, and 2.28-5.05, respectively. Compound 22 was not quantified due to interfering peaks. These results provide the first evidence for tetrahydrofuranyl-substituted DNA adducts in the livers of rats treated with NPYR. The finding of dAdo and dThd adducts is of particular interest since previous studies have shown that NPYR causes mutations at AT base pairs in DNA of rat liver.

Formation and accumulation of pyridyloxobutyl DNA adducts in F344 rats chronically treated with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and enantiomers of its metabolite, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol.

4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK, 1) and its metabolite, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL, 2) are both potent pulmonary carcinogens in rats. The metabolism of NNK to NNAL is stereoselective and reversible, with (S)-NNAL being the major enantiomer formed from NNK. In rats, (R)-NNAL undergoes facile glucuronidation and is rapidly excreted in urine, whereas (S)-NNAL is preferentially retained in tissues and converted to NNK. We hypothesized that the lung carcinogenicity of NNK in the rat is due in part to the preferential retention of (S)-NNAL in the lung, the reconversion to NNK, and then the metabolic activation of NNK to pyridyloxobutyl (POB)-DNA adducts. We tested this hypothesis by treating male F344 rats with 10 ppm of NNK, (R)-NNAL, or (S)-NNAL in drinking water. After 1, 2, 5, 10, 16, or 20 weeks of treatment, POB-DNA adducts in liver and lung DNA were quantified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. At each time point, total adduct levels were higher in the lung than in the liver. O2-[4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobut-1-yl]thymidine (O2-POB-dThd, 13) was the major adduct detected. Total adduct levels in the rats treated with (S)-NNAL were 0.6-1.3 times as great as those in the NNK group in the lung and 0.7-1.4 times in the liver, and 6-14 times higher than those in the (R)-NNAL group in the lung and 11-17 times in the liver. These results suggest that (S)-NNAL is stereoselectively retained in tissues. This study demonstrates for the first time the accumulation and persistence of specific POB-DNA adducts in the rat lung and liver during chronic treatment with NNK, (R)-NNAL, and (S)-NNAL and supports the hypothesis that the preferential retention of (S)-NNAL in the lung, followed by reconversion to NNK and then the metabolic activation of NNK is critical for lung carcinogenesis by NNK and NNAL.