CEP-18770: A novel, orally active proteasome inhibitor with a tumor-selective pharmacologic profile competitive with bortezomib.

Modulating protein ubiquitination via proteasome inhibition represents a promising target for cancer therapy, because of the higher sensitivity of cancer cells to the cytotoxic effects of proteasome inhibition. Here we show that CEP-18770 is a novel orally-active inhibitor of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome that down-modulates the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity and the expression of several NF-kappaB downstream effectors. CEP-18770 induces apoptotic cell death in multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines and in primary purified CD138-positive explant cultures from untreated and bortezomib-treated MM patients. In vitro, CEP-18770 has a strong antiangiogenic activity and potently represses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Importantly, CEP-18770 exhibits a favorable cytotoxicity profile toward normal human epithelial cells, bone marrow progenitors, and bone marrow-derived stromal cells. Intravenous and oral administration of CEP-18770 resulted in a more sustained pharmacodynamic inhibition of proteasome activity in tumors relative to normal tissues, complete tumor regression of MM xenografts and improved overall median survival in a systemic model of human MM. Collectively, these findings provide evidence for the utility of CEP-18770 as a novel orally active proteasome inhibitor with a favorable tumor selectivity profile for the treatment of MM and other malignancies responsive to proteasome inhibition.

Design, synthesis, and biological properties of new bis(acridine-4-carboxamides) as anticancer agents.

To enhance the outstanding biological response shown by the corresponding monomers 4 and 5, two classes of bis-acridine-4-carboxamides, 9, with a linker between the 4,4' positions, and 13, with a linker between the 1,1' positions, have been prepared as DNA-binding and potential antitumor agents. The noncovalent DNA-binding properties of these compounds have been examined using gel-electrophoresis and fluorometric techniques. The results indicate that (i). target compounds intercalate DNA; (ii). the bis derivatives with the optimal linker are considerably more DNA-affinic than corresponding monomers; (iii). overall affinity is sensitive to the nature of the linker, of the chromophores, and of the substituents at 7,7'; (iv). often, the bis derivatives show a marked AT-preferential binding. In vitro cytotoxic potency of these derivatives toward the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (HT29) is described and compared to that of reference drugs. Structure-activity relationships are discussed. Some highly DNA-affinic and potent cytotoxic compounds, 9b,f and 13b,c, have been selected for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) screening on 60 human tumor cell lines and identified as new leads in the antitumor strategies.

2,6-Di(omega-aminoalkyl)-2,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[3,4,5-mn]pyrimido[5,6,1-de]acridine-5,7-diones: novel, potent, cytotoxic, and DNA-binding agents.

DNA-binding agents with potential antitumor activities bearing two cationic side chains, the 2,6-di(omega-aminoalkyl)-2,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[3,4,5-mn]pyrimido[5,6,1-de]acridine-5,7-diones (4a-r), have been prepared either by reaction of the appropriate 2-(omega-aminoalkyl)-6-chloro-2,3-dihydro-1H,7H-pyrimido[5,6,1-de]acridine-1,3,7-trione with the appropriate (omega-aminoalkyl)hydrazine or by cyclization of the requisite N-6,2-di(omega-aminoalkyl)-2,6-dihydropyrazolo[3,4,5-kl]acridine-6-carboxamide with phosgene. In vitro cytotoxic properties of these derivatives against three human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (HT29, LoVo, and LoVo/Dx) and against some cell lines of the NCI panel are described and compared to that of reference drugs. Some of the new compounds showed outstanding potency while lacking cross-resistance with anthracyclines. Structure-activity relationships are discussed, and a mechanistic analysis is performed using the COMPARE procedure. The mechanism and efficiency of noncovalent DNA binding of these compounds are examined using gel electrophoresis and fluorometric techniques. The 2,6-di(omega-aminoalkyl)-2,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[3,4,5-mn]pyrimido[5,6,1-de]acridine-5,7-diones (4) constitute a new class of potent, cytotoxic DNA-binding agents not cross-resistant with doxorubicin.