Discovery of Novel Allosteric EGFR L858R Inhibitors for the Treatment of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer as a Single Agent or in Combination with Osimertinib.

Addressing resistance to third-generation EGFR TKIs such as osimertinib via the EGFRC797S mutation remains a highly unmet need in EGFR-driven non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we present the discovery of the allosteric EGFR inhibitor 57, a novel fourth-generation inhibitor to overcome EGFRC797S-mediated resistance in patients harboring the activating EGFRL858R mutation. 57 exhibits an improved potency compared to previous allosteric EGFR inhibitors. To our knowledge, 57 is the first allosteric EGFR inhibitor that demonstrates robust tumor regression in a mutant EGFRL858R/C797S tumor model. Additionally, 57 is active in an H1975 EGFRL858R/T790M NSCLC xenograft model and shows superior efficacy in combination with osimertinib compared to the single agents. Our data highlight the potential of 57 as a single agent against EGFRL858R/C797S and EGFRL858R/T790M/C797S and as combination therapy for EGFRL858R- and EGFRL858R/T790M-driven NSCLC.

Prodrug-Activating Chain Exchange (PACE) converts targeted prodrug derivatives to functional bi- or multispecific antibodies.

Driven by the potential to broaden the target space of conventional monospecific antibodies, the field of multi-specific antibody derivatives is growing rapidly. The production and screening of these artificial proteins entails a high combinatorial complexity. Antibody-domain exchange was previously shown to be a versatile strategy to produce bispecific antibodies in a robust and efficient manner. Here, we show that the domain exchange reaction to generate hybrid antibodies also functions under physiological conditions. Accordingly, we modified the exchange partners for use in therapeutic applications, in which two inactive prodrugs convert into a product with additional functionalities. We exemplarily show the feasibility for generating active T cell bispecific antibodies from two inactive prodrugs, which per se do not activate T cells alone. The two complementary prodrugs harbor antigen-targeting Fabs and non-functional anti-CD3 Fvs fused to IgG-CH3 domains engineered to drive chain-exchange reactions between them. Importantly, Prodrug-Activating Chain Exchange (PACE) could be an attractive option to conditionally activate therapeutics at the target site. Several examples are provided that demonstrate the efficacy of PACE as a new principle of cancer immunotherapy in vitro and in a human xenograft model.

Novel ß-Glucocerebrosidase Activators That Bind to a New Pocket at a Dimer Interface and Induce Dimerization.

Genetic, preclinical and clinical data link Parkinson's disease and Gaucher's disease and provide a rational entry point to disease modification therapy via enhancement of ß-Glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity. We discovered a new class of pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazine activators effecting both Vmax and Km. They bind to human GCase and increase substrate metabolism in the lysosome in a cellular assay. We obtained the first crystal structure for an activator and identified a novel non-inhibitory binding mode at the interface of a dimer, rationalizing the observed structure-activity relationship (SAR). The compound binds GCase inducing formation of a dimeric state at both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and lysosomal pHs, as confirmed by analytical ultracentrifugation. Importantly, the pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazines have central nervous system (CNS) drug-like properties. Our findings are important for future drug discovery efforts in the field of GCase activation and provide a deeper mechanistic understanding of the requirements for enzymatic activation, pointing to the relevance of dimerization.

P329G-CAR-J: a novel Jurkat-NFAT-based CAR-T reporter system recognizing the P329G Fc mutation.

Monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics are an integral part of treatment of different human diseases, and the selection of suitable antibody candidates during the discovery phase is essential. Here, we describe a novel, cellular screening approach for the identification and characterization of therapeutic antibodies suitable for conversion into T cell bispecific antibodies using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) transduced Jurkat-NFAT-luciferase reporter cells (CAR-J). For that purpose, we equipped a Jurkat-NFAT reporter cell line with a universal CAR, based on a monoclonal antibody recognizing the P329G mutation in the Fc-part of effector-silenced human IgG1-antibodies. In addition to scFv-based second generation CARs, Fab-based CARs employing the P329G-binder were generated. Using these anti-P329G-CAR-J cells together with the respective P329G-mutated IgG1-antibodies, we established a system, which facilitates the rapid testing of therapeutic antibody candidates in a flexible, high throughput setting during early stage discovery. We show that both, scFv- and Fab-based anti-P329G-CAR-J cells elicit a robust and dose-dependent luciferase signal if the respective antibody acts as an adaptor between tumor target and P329G-CAR-J cells. Importantly, we could demonstrate that functional characteristics of the antibody candidates, derived from the anti-P329G-CAR-J screening assay, are predictive for the functionality of these antibodies in the T cell bispecific antibody format.

Variable heavy-variable light domain and Fab-arm CrossMabs with charged residue exchanges to enforce correct light chain assembly.

Technologies for the production of bispecific antibodies need to overcome two major challenges. The first one is correct heavy chain assembly, which was solved by knobs-into-holes technology or charge interactions in the CH3 domains. The second challenge is correct light chain assembly. This can be solved by engineering the Fab-arm interfaces or applying the immunoglobulin domain crossover approach. There are three different crossovers possible, namely Fab-arm, constant domain and variable domain crossovers. The CrossMabCH1-CL exchange does not lead to the formation of unexpected side products, whereas the CrossMabFab and the CrossMabVH-VL formats result in the formation of typical side products. Thus, CrossMabCH1-CL was initially favored for therapeutic antibody development. Here, we report a novel improved CrossMab design principle making use of site-specific positional exchanges of charged amino acid pairs in the constant domain of these CrossMabs to enable the correct light chain assembly in the CrossMabVH-VL and improvements for the CrossMabFab design.

Design of Potent and Druglike Nonphenolic Inhibitors for Catechol O-Methyltransferase Derived from a Fragment Screening Approach Targeting the S-Adenosyl-l-methionine Pocket.

A fragment screening approach designed to target specifically the S-adenosyl-l-methionine pocket of catechol O-methyl transferase allowed the identification of structurally related fragments of high ligand efficiency and with activity on the described orthogonal assays. By use of a reliable enzymatic assay together with X-ray crystallography as guidance, a series of fragment modifications revealed an SAR and, after several expansions, potent lead compounds could be obtained. For the first time nonphenolic and small low nanomolar potent, SAM competitive COMT inhibitors are reported. These compounds represent a novel series of potent COMT inhibitors that might be further optimized to new drugs useful for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, as adjuncts in levodopa based therapy, or for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Mapping the conformational space accessible to catechol-O-methyltransferase.

Methylation catalysed by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is the main pathway of catechol neurotransmitter deactivation in the prefrontal cortex. Low levels of this class of neurotransmitters are held to be causative of diseases such as schizophrenia, depression and Parkinson's disease. Inhibition of COMT may increase neurotransmitter levels, thus offering a route for treatment. Structure-based drug design hitherto seems to be based on the closed enzyme conformation. Here, a set of apo, semi-holo, holo and Michaelis form crystal structures are described that define the conformational space available to COMT and that include likely intermediates along the catalytic pathway. Domain swaps and sizeable loop movements around the active site testify to the flexibility of this enzyme, rendering COMT a difficult drug target. The low affinity of the co-substrate S-adenosylmethionine and the large conformational changes involved during catalysis highlight significant energetic investment to achieve the closed conformation. Since each conformation of COMT is a bona fide target for inhibitors, other states than the closed conformation may be promising to address. Crystallographic data for an alternative avenue of COMT inhibition, i.e. locking of the apo state by an inhibitor, are presented. The set of COMT structures may prove to be useful for the development of novel classes of inhibitors.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase in complex with substituted 3'-deoxyribose bisubstrate inhibitors.

The biological activity of catechol neurotransmitters such as dopamine in the synapse is modulated by transporters and enzymes. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; EC 2.1.1.6) inactivates neurotransmitters by catalyzing the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine to catechols in the presence of Mg²âº. This pathway also inactivates L-DOPA, the standard therapeutic for Parkinson's disease. Depletion of catechol neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex has been linked to schizophrenia. The inhibition of COMT therefore promises improvements in the treatment of these diseases. The concept of bisubstrate inhibitors for COMT has been described previously. Here, ribose-modified bisubstrate inhibitors were studied. Three high-resolution crystal structures of COMT in complex with novel ribose-modified bisubstrate inhibitors confirmed the predicted binding mode but displayed subtle alterations at the ribose-binding site. The high affinity of the inhibitors can be convincingly rationalized from the structures, which document the possibility of removing and/or replacing the ribose 3'-hydroxyl group and provide a framework for further inhibitor design.

Molecular recognition at the active site of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT): adenine replacements in bisubstrate inhibitors.

L-Dopa, the standard therapeutic for Parkinson's disease, is inactivated by the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). COMT catalyzes the transfer of an activated methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to its catechol substrates, such as L-dopa, in the presence of magnesium ions. The molecular recognition properties of the SAM-binding site of COMT have been investigated only sparsely. Here, we explore this site by structural alterations of the adenine moiety of bisubstrate inhibitors. The molecular recognition of adenine is of special interest due to the great abundance and importance of this nucleobase in biological systems. Novel bisubstrate inhibitors with adenine replacements were developed by structure-based design and synthesized using a nucleosidation protocol introduced by Vorbrüggen and co-workers. Key interactions of the adenine moiety with COMT were measured with a radiochemical assay. Several bisubstrate inhibitors, most notably the adenine replacements thiopyridine, purine, N-methyladenine, and 6-methylpurine, displayed nanomolar IC(50) values (median inhibitory concentration) for COMT down to 6 nM. A series of six cocrystal structures of the bisubstrate inhibitors in ternary complexes with COMT and Mg(2+) confirm our predicted binding mode of the adenine replacements. The cocrystal structure of an inhibitor bearing no nucleobase can be regarded as an intermediate along the reaction coordinate of bisubstrate inhibitor binding to COMT. Our studies show that solvation varies with the type of adenine replacement, whereas among the adenine derivatives, the nitrogen atom at position 1 is essential for high affinity, while the exocyclic amino group is most efficiently substituted by a methyl group.