Discovery and Pharmacological Characterization of JNJ-64619178, a Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitor of PRMT5 with Potent Antitumor Activity.

The protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) methylates a variety of proteins involved in splicing, multiple signal transduction pathways, epigenetic control of gene expression, and mechanisms leading to protein expression required for cellular proliferation. Dysregulation of PRMT5 is associated with clinical features of several cancers, including lymphomas, lung cancer, and breast cancer. Here, we describe the characterization of JNJ-64619178, a novel, selective, and potent PRMT5 inhibitor, currently in clinical trials for patients with advanced solid tumors, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. JNJ-64619178 demonstrated a prolonged inhibition of PRMT5 and potent antiproliferative activity in subsets of cancer cell lines derived from various histologies, including lung, breast, pancreatic, and hematological malignancies. In primary acute myelogenous leukemia samples, the presence of splicing factor mutations correlated with a higher ex vivo sensitivity to JNJ-64619178. Furthermore, the potent and unique mechanism of inhibition of JNJ-64619178, combined with highly optimized pharmacological properties, led to efficient tumor growth inhibition and regression in several xenograft models in vivo, with once-daily or intermittent oral-dosing schedules. An increase in splicing burden was observed upon JNJ-64619178 treatment. Overall, these observations support the continued clinical evaluation of JNJ-64619178 in patients with aberrant PRMT5 activity-driven tumors.

A Chemical Probe for the Methyl Transferase PRMT5 with a Novel Binding Mode.

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is an enzyme that can symmetrically dimethylate arginine residues in histones and nonhistone proteins by using S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) as the methyl donating cofactor. We have designed a library of SAM analogues and discovered potent, cell-active, and selective spiro diamines as inhibitors of the enzymatic function of PRMT5. Crystallographic studies confirmed a very interesting binding mode, involving protein flexibility, where both the cofactor pocket and part of substrate binding site are occupied by these inhibitors.

Design and synthesis of a series of piperazine-1-carboxamidine derivatives with antifungal activity resulting from accumulation of endogenous reactive oxygen species.

In this study, we screened a library of 500 compounds for fungicidal activity via induction of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Structure-activity relationship studies showed that piperazine-1-carboxamidine analogues with large atoms or large side chains substituted on the phenyl group at the R(3) and R(5) positions are characterized by a high ROS accumulation capacity in Candida albicans and a high fungicidal activity. Moreover, we could link the fungicidal mode of action of the piperazine-1-carboxamidine derivatives to the accumulation of endogenous ROS.