A knowledge-based, structural-aided discovery of a novel class of 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-6-carboxamide H-PGDS inhibitors.

Through an internal virtual screen at GlaxoSmithKline a distinct class of 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-6-carboxamide H-PGDS inhibitors were discovered. Careful evaluation of crystal structures and SAR led to a novel, potent, and orally active imidazopyridine inhibitor of H-PGDS, 20b. Herein, describes the identification of 2 classes of inhibitors, their syntheses, and their challenges.

The exploration of aza-quinolines as hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (H-PGDS) inhibitors with low brain exposure.

GlaxoSmithKline and Astex Pharmaceuticals recently disclosed the discovery of the potent H-PGDS inhibitor GSK2894631A 1a (IC50 = 9.9 nM) as part of a fragment-based drug discovery collaboration with Astex Pharmaceuticals. This molecule exhibited good murine pharmacokinetics, allowing it to be utilized to explore H-PGDS pharmacology in vivo. Yet, with prolonged dosing at higher concentrations, 1a induced CNS toxicity. Looking to attenuate brain penetration in this series, aza-quinolines, were prepared with the intent of increasing polar surface area. Nitrogen substitutions at the 6- and 8-positions of the quinoline were discovered to be tolerated by the enzyme. Subsequent structure activity studies in these aza-quinoline scaffolds led to the identification of 1,8-naphthyridine 1y (IC50 = 9.4 nM) as a potent peripherally restricted H-PGDS inhibitor. Compound 1y is efficacious in four in vivo inflammatory models and exhibits no CNS toxicity.

The discovery of quinoline-3-carboxamides as hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (H-PGDS) inhibitors.

With the goal of discovering more selective anti-inflammatory drugs, than COX inhibitors, to attenuate prostaglandin signaling, a fragment-based screen of hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase was performed. The 76 crystallographic hits were sorted into similar groups, with the 3-cyano-quinoline 1a (FP IC50 = 220,000 nM, LE = 0.43) being a potent member of the 6,6-fused heterocyclic cluster. Employing SAR insights gained from structural comparisons of other H-PGDS fragment binding mode clusters, the initial hit 1a was converted into the 70-fold more potent quinoline 1d (IC50 = 3,100 nM, LE = 0.49). A systematic substitution of the amine moiety of 1d, utilizing structural information and array chemistry, with modifications to improve inhibitor stability, resulted in the identification of the 300-fold more active H-PGDS inhibitor tool compound 1bv (IC50 = 9.9 nM, LE = 0.42). This selective inhibitor exhibited good murine pharmacokinetics, dose-dependently attenuated PGD2 production in a mast cell degranulation assay and should be suitable to further explore H-PGDS biology.

TLR2 agonism reverses chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in Macaca fascicularis.

Neutropenia is a common consequence of radiation and chemotherapy in cancer patients. The resulting immunocompromised patients become highly susceptible to potentially life-threatening infections. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is known to stimulate neutrophil production and is widely used as a treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. A small-molecule G-CSF secretagogue without a requirement for refrigerated supply chain would offer a more convenient and cost-effective treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Bacterial lipopeptides activate innate immune responses through Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and induce the release of cytokines, including G-CSF, from macrophages, monocytes, and endothelial. Pam2CSK4 is a synthetic lipopeptide that effectively mimics bacterial lipoproteins known to activate TLR2 receptor signaling through the TLR2/6 heterodimer. Substrate-based drug design led to the discovery of GSK3277329, which stimulated the release of G-CSF in activated THP-1 cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. When administered subcutaneously to cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), GSK3277329 caused systemic elevation of G-CSF and interleukin-6 (IL-6), but not IL-1ß or tumor necrosis factor α, indicating a selective cytokine-stimulation profile. Repeat daily injections of GSK3277329 in healthy monkeys also raised circulating neutrophils above the normal range over a 1-week treatment period. More importantly, repeated daily injections of GSK3277329 over a 2-week period restored neutrophil loss in monkeys given chemotherapy treatment (cyclophosphamide, Cytoxan). These data demonstrate preclinical in vivo proof of concept that TLR2 agonism can drive both G-CSF induction and subsequent neutrophil elevation in the cynomolgus monkey and could be a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.