Genotype-phenotype correlations in WHIM syndrome: a systematic characterization of CXCR4WHIM variants.

Warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, myelokathexis (WHIM) syndrome is a rare primary immunodeficiency predominantly caused by heterozygous gain-of-function mutations in CXCR4 C-terminus. We assessed genotype-phenotype correlations for known pathogenic CXCR4 variants and in vitro response of each variant to mavorixafor, an investigational CXCR4 antagonist. We used cell-based assays to analyze CXCL12-induced receptor trafficking and downstream signaling of 14 pathogenic CXCR4 variants previously identified in patients with WHIM syndrome. All CXCR4 variants displayed impaired receptor trafficking, hyperactive downstream signaling, and enhanced chemotaxis in response to CXCL12. Mavorixafor inhibited CXCL12-dependent signaling and hyperactivation in cells harboring CXCR4WHIM mutations. A strong correlation was found between CXCR4 internalization defect and severity of blood leukocytopenias and infection susceptibility, and between AKT activation and immunoglobulin A level and CD4+ T-cell counts. This study is the first to show WHIM syndrome clinical phenotype variability as a function of both CXCR4WHIM genotype diversity and associated functional dysregulation. Our findings suggest that CXCR4 internalization may be used to assess the pathogenicity of CXCR4 variants in vitro and also as a potential WHIM-related disease biomarker. The investigational CXCR4 antagonist mavorixafor inhibited CXCL12-dependent signaling in all tested CXCR4-variant cell lines at clinically relevant concentrations.

A randomized single and multiple ascending dose study in healthy volunteers of LTI-291, a centrally penetrant glucocerebrosidase activator.

AIMS: A mutation in the GBA1 gene is the most common genetic risk factor for developing Parkinson's disease. GBA1 encodes the lysosomal enzyme glucosylceramidase beta (glucocerebrosidase, GCase) and mutations decrease enzyme activity. LTI-291 is an allosteric modulator of GCase, enhancing its activity. These first-in-human studies evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of single and multiple ascending doses of LTI-291 in healthy volunteers. METHODS: In the single ascending dose (SAD) study, 40 healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to LTI-291 (n = 8 per dose level) or placebo (n = 2 per dose level). Single doses of 3, 10, 30 and 90 mg LTI-291 were investigated. In the multiple ascending dose (MAD) study, 40 healthy middle-aged or elderly volunteers were randomly assigned to LTI-291 (n = 8 per dose level) or placebo (n = 2 per dose level). Fourteen consecutive daily doses of 3, 10, 30 and 60 mg LTI-291 or placebo were administered. In both the SAD and MAD studies, glycosphingolipid levels were measured and a test battery of neurocognitive tasks was performed. RESULTS: LTI-291 was generally well tolerated and no deaths or treatment-related SAEs occurred and no subject withdrew from a study due to AEs. Cmax , AUC0-24 and AUC0-inf increased in a dose proportional manner. The median half-life was 28.0 hours after multiple dosing. No dose-dependent glycosphingolipid changes occurred. No neurocognitive adverse effects were detected. CONCLUSIONS: These first-in-human studies demonstrated that LTI-291 was well tolerated when given orally once daily for 14 consecutive days. This supports the continued clinical development and the exploration of LTI-291 effects in a GBA1-mutated Parkinson population.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of a Series of Oxazolone Carboxamides as a Novel Class of Acid Ceramidase Inhibitors.

Acid ceramidase (AC) is a cysteine hydrolase that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of lysosomal ceramides, important members of the sphingolipid family, a diversified class of bioactive molecules that mediate many biological processes ranging from cell structural integrity, signaling, and cell proliferation to cell death. In the effort to expand the structural diversity of the existing collection of AC inhibitors, a novel class of substituted oxazol-2-one-3-carboxamides were designed and synthesized. Herein, we present the chemical optimization of our initial hits, 2-oxo-4-phenyl-N-(4-phenylbutyl)oxazole-3-carboxamide 8a and 2-oxo-5-phenyl-N-(4-phenylbutyl)oxazole-3-carboxamide 12a, which resulted in the identification of 5-[4-fluoro-2-(1-methyl-4-piperidyl)phenyl]-2-oxo-N-pentyl-oxazole-3-carboxamide 32b as a potent AC inhibitor with optimal physicochemical and metabolic properties, showing target engagement in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and a desirable pharmacokinetic profile in mice, following intravenous and oral administration. 32b enriches the arsenal of promising lead compounds that may therefore act as useful pharmacological tools for investigating the potential therapeutic effects of AC inhibition in relevant sphingolipid-mediated disorders.

Results of a phase 2 trial of an oral CXCR4 antagonist, mavorixafor, for treatment of WHIM syndrome.

Warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, and myelokathexis (WHIM) syndrome is a rare primary immunodeficiency caused by gain-of-function mutations in the CXCR4 gene. We report the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary efficacy of mavorixafor from a phase 2 open-label dose-escalation and extension study in 8 adult patients with genetically confirmed WHIM syndrome. Mavorixafor is an oral small molecule selective antagonist of the CXCR4 receptor that increases mobilization and trafficking of white blood cells from the bone marrow. Patients received escalating doses of mavorixafor, up to 400 mg once daily. Five patients continued on the extension study for up to 28.6 months. Mavorixafor was well tolerated with no treatment-related serious adverse events. At a median follow-up of 16.5 months, we observed dose-dependent increases in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC). At doses ≥300 mg/d, ANC was maintained at >500 cells per microliter for a median of 12.6 hours, and ALC was maintained at >1000 cells per microliter for up to 16.9 hours. Continued follow-up on the extension study resulted in a yearly infection rate that decreased from 4.63 events (95% confidence interval, 3.3-6.3) in the 12 months prior to the trial to 2.27 events (95% confidence interval, 1.4-3.5) for patients on effective doses. We observed an average 75% reduction in the number of cutaneous warts. This study demonstrates that mavorixafor, 400 mg once daily, mobilizes neutrophil and lymphocytes in adult patients with WHIM syndrome and provides preliminary evidence of clinical benefit for patients on long-term therapy. The trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03005327.

Lead Optimization of Benzoxazolone Carboxamides as Orally Bioavailable and CNS Penetrant Acid Ceramidase Inhibitors.

Sphingolipids (SphLs) are a diverse class of molecules that are regulated by a complex network of enzymatic pathways. A disturbance in these pathways leads to lipid accumulation and initiation of several SphL-related disorders. Acid ceramidase is one of the key enzymes that regulate the metabolism of ceramides and glycosphingolipids, which are important members of the SphL family. Herein, we describe the lead optimization studies of benzoxazolone carboxamides resulting in piperidine 22m, where we demonstrated target engagement in two animal models of neuropathic lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs), Gaucher's and Krabbe's diseases. After daily intraperitoneal administration at 90 mg kg-1, 22m significantly reduced the brain levels of the toxic lipids glucosylsphingosine (GluSph) in 4L;C* mice and galactosylsphingosine (GalSph) in Twitcher mice. We believe that 22m is a lead molecule that can be further developed for the correction of severe neurological LSDs where GluSph or GalSph play a significant role in disease pathogenesis.

ß-Glucocerebrosidase Modulators Promote Dimerization of ß-Glucocerebrosidase and Reveal an Allosteric Binding Site.

ß-Glucocerebrosidase (GCase) mutations cause Gaucher's disease and are a high risk factor in Parkinson's disease. The implementation of a small molecule modulator is a strategy to restore proper folding and lysosome delivery of degradation-prone mutant GCase. Here, we present a potent quinazoline modulator, JZ-4109, which stabilizes wild-type and N370S mutant GCase and increases GCase abundance in patient-derived fibroblast cells. We then developed a covalent modification strategy using a lysine targeted inactivator (JZ-5029) for in vitro mechanistic studies. By using native top-down mass spectrometry, we located two potentially covalently modified lysines. We obtained the first crystal structure, at 2.2 Å resolution, of a GCase with a noniminosugar modulator covalently bound, and were able to identify the exact lysine residue modified (Lys346) and reveal an allosteric binding site. GCase dimerization was induced by our modulator binding, which was observed by native mass spectrometry, its crystal structure, and size exclusion chromatography with a multiangle light scattering detector. Finally, the dimer form was confirmed by negative staining transmission electron microscopy studies. Our newly discovered allosteric site and observed GCase dimerization provide a new mechanistic insight into GCase and its noniminosugar modulators and facilitate the rational design of novel GCase modulators for Gaucher's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Bicyclic Helical Peptides as Dual Inhibitors Selective for Bcl2A1 and Mcl-1 Proteins.

A 26-residue peptide BimBH3 binds indiscriminately to multiple oncogenic Bcl2 proteins that regulate apoptosis of cancer cells. Specific inhibition of the BimBH3-Bcl2A1 protein-protein interaction was obtained in vitro and in cancer cells by shortening the peptide to 14 residues, inserting two cyclization constraints to stabilize a water-stable α-helix, and incorporating an N-terminal acrylamide electrophile for selective covalent bonding to Bcl2A1. Mass spectrometry of trypsin-digested bands on electrophoresis gels established covalent bonding of an electrophilic helix to just one of the three cysteines in Bcl2A1, the one (Cys55) at the BimBH3-Bcl2A1 protein-protein interaction interface. Optimizing the helix-inducing constraints and the sequence subsequently enabled electrophile removal without loss of inhibitor potency. The bicyclic helical peptides were potent, cell permeable, plasma-stable, dual inhibitors of Bcl2A1 and Mcl-1 with high selectivity over other Bcl2 proteins. One bicyclic peptide was shown to inhibit the interaction between a pro-apoptotic protein (Bim) and either endogenous Bcl2A1 or Mcl-1, to induce apoptosis of SKMel28 human melanoma cells, and to sensitize them for enhanced cell death by the anticancer drug etoposide. These approaches look promising for chemically silencing intracellular proteins.

Electrophilic Helical Peptides That Bond Covalently, Irreversibly, and Selectively in a Protein-Protein Interaction Site.

Protein-protein interactions mediate most physiological and disease processes. Helix-constrained peptides potently mimic or inhibit these interactions by making multiple contacts over large surface areas. However, despite high affinities, they typically have short lifetimes bound to the protein. Here we insert both a helix-inducing constraint and an adjacent electrophile into the native peptide ligand BIM to target the oncogenic protein Bcl2A1. The modified BIM peptide bonds covalently and irreversibly to one cysteine within the helix-binding groove of Bcl2A1, but not to two other exposed cysteines on its surface, and shows no covalent bonding to other Bcl2 proteins. It also penetrates cell membranes and bonds covalently to Bcl2A1 inside cells. This innovative approach to increasing receptor residence time of helical peptides demonstrates the potential to selectively silence a PPI inside cells, with selectivity over other nucleophilic sites on proteins.

Design of substituted imidazolidinylpiperidinylbenzoic acids as chemokine receptor 5 antagonists: potent inhibitors of R5 HIV-1 replication.

The redesign of the previously reported thiophene-3-yl-methyl urea series, as a result of potential cardiotoxicity, was successfully accomplished, resulting in the identification of a novel potent series of CCR5 antagonists containing the imidazolidinylpiperidinyl scaffold. The main redesign criteria were to reduce the number of rotatable bonds and to maintain an acceptable lipophilicity to mitigate hERG inhibition. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) that was developed was used to identify compounds with the best pharmacological profile to inhibit HIV-1. As a result, five advanced compounds, 6d, 6e, 6i, 6h, and 6k, were further evaluated for receptor selectivity, antiviral activity against CCR5 using (R5) HIV-1 clinical isolates, and in vitro and in vivo safety. On the basis of these results, 6d and 6h were selected for further development.

Implications of promiscuous Pim-1 kinase fragment inhibitor hydrophobic interactions for fragment-based drug design.

We have studied the subtleties of fragment docking and binding using data generated in a Pim-1 kinase inhibitor program. Crystallographic and docking data analyses have been undertaken using inhibitor complexes derived from an in-house surface plasmon resonance (SPR) fragment screen, a virtual needle screen, and a de novo designed fragment inhibitor hybrid. These investigations highlight that fragments that do not fill their binding pocket can exhibit promiscuous hydrophobic interactions due to the lack of steric constraints imposed on them by the boundaries of said pocket. As a result, docking modes that disagree with an observed crystal structure but maintain key crystallographically observed hydrogen bonds still have potential value in ligand design and optimization. This observation runs counter to the lore in fragment-based drug design that all fragment elaboration must be based on the parent crystal structure alone.

Mitigating hERG Inhibition: Design of Orally Bioavailable CCR5 Antagonists as Potent Inhibitors of R5 HIV-1 Replication.

A series of CCR5 antagonists representing the thiophene-3-yl-methyl ureas were designed that met the pharmacological criteria for HIV-1 inhibition and mitigated a human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) inhibition liability. Reducing lipophilicity was the main design criteria used to identify compounds that did not inhibit the hERG channel, but subtle structural modifications were also important. Interestingly, within this series, compounds with low hERG inhibition prolonged the action potential duration (APD) in dog Purkinje fibers, suggesting a mixed effect on cardiac ion channels.

The molecular pharmacology of AMD11070: an orally bioavailable CXCR4 HIV entry inhibitor.

In order to enter and infect human cells HIV must bind to CD4 in addition to either the CXCR4 or the CCR5 chemokine receptor. AMD11070 was the first orally available small molecule antagonist of CXCR4 to enter the clinic. Herein we report the molecular pharmacology of AMD11070 which is a potent inhibitor of X4 HIV-1 replication and the gp120/CXCR4 interaction. Using the CCRF-CEM T cell line that endogenously expresses CXCR4 we have demonstrated that AMD11070 is an antagonist of SDF-1α ligand binding (IC50 = 12.5 ± 1.3 nM), inhibits SDF-1 mediated calcium flux (IC50 = 9.0 ± 2.0 nM) and SDF-1α mediated activation of the CXCR4 receptor as measured by a Eu-GTP binding assay (IC50 =39.8 ± 2.5 nM) or a [(35)S]-GTPγS binding assay (IC50 =19.0 ± 4.1 nM), and inhibits SDF-1α stimulated chemotaxis (IC50 =19.0 ± 4.0 nM). AMD11070 does not inhibit calcium flux of cells expressing CXCR3, CCR1, CCR2b, CCR4, CCR5 or CCR7, or ligand binding to CXCR7 and BLT1, demonstrating selectivity for CXCR4. In addition AMD11070 is able to inhibit the SDF-1ß isoform interactions with CXCR4; and N-terminal truncated variants of CXCR4 with equal potency to wild type receptor. Further mechanistic studies indicate that AMD11070 is an allosteric inhibitor of CXCR4.

Design and synthesis of pyridin-2-ylmethylaminopiperidin-1-ylbutyl amide CCR5 antagonists that are potent inhibitors of M-tropic (R5) HIV-1 replication.

A series of CCR5 antagonists were optimized for potent inhibition of R5 HIV-1 replication in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Compounds that met acceptable ADME criteria, selectivity, human plasma protein binding, potency shift in the presence of α-glycoprotein were evaluated in rat and dog pharmacokinetics.

Prospective CCR5 small molecule antagonist compound design using a combined mutagenesis/modeling approach.

The viral resistance of marketed antiviral drugs including the emergence of new viral resistance of the only marketed CCR5 entry inhibitor, maraviroc, makes it necessary to develop new CCR5 allosteric inhibitors. A mutagenesis/modeling approach was used (a) to remove the potential hERG liability in an otherwise very promising series of compounds and (b) to design a new class of compounds with an unique mutant fingerprint profile depending on residues in the N-terminus and the extracellular loop 2. On the basis of residues, which were identified by mutagenesis as key interaction sites, binding modes of compounds were derived and utilized for compound design in a prospective manner. The compounds were then synthesized, and in vitro evaluation not only showed that they had good antiviral potency but also fulfilled the requirement of low hERG inhibition, a criterion necessary because a potential approved drug would be administered chronically. This work utilized an interdisciplinary approach including medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, and computational chemistry merging the structural requirements for potency with the requirements of an acceptable in vitro profile for allosteric CCR5 inhibitors. The obtained mutant fingerprint profiles of CCR5 inhibitors were used to translate the CCR5 allosteric binding site into a general pharmacophore, which can be used for discovering new inhibitors.

Inhibition of the cathepsin cysteine proteases B and K by square-planar cycloaurated gold(III) compounds and investigation of their anti-cancer activity.

Gold(III) compounds have been examined for potential anti-cancer activity. It is proposed that the molecular targets of these compounds are thiol-containing biological molecules such as the cathepsin cysteine proteases. These enzymes have been implicated in many diseases including cancer. The catalytic mechanism of the cathepsin cysteine proteases is dependent upon a cysteine at the active site which is accessible to the interaction of thiophilic metals such as gold. The synthesis and biological activity of square-planar six-membered cycloaurated Au(III) compounds with a pyridinyl-phenyl linked backbone and two monodentate or one bidentate leaving group is described. Gold(III) cycloaurated compounds were able to inhibit both cathepsins B and K. Structure/activity was investigated by modifications to the pyridinyl-phenyl backbone, and leaving groups. Optimal activity was seen with substitution at the 6 position of the pyridine ring. The reversibility of inhibition was tested by reactivation in the presence of cysteine with a bidentate thiosalicylate compound being an irreversible inhibitor. Five compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against a panel of human tumor cell lines. The thiosalicylate compound was tested in vivo against the HT29 human colon tumor xenograft model. A modest decrease in tumor growth was observed compared with the untreated control tumor.

The discovery of novel benzofuran-2-carboxylic acids as potent Pim-1 inhibitors.

Novel benzofuran-2-carboxylic acids, exemplified by 29, 38 and 39, have been discovered as potent Pim-1 inhibitors using fragment based screening followed by X-ray structure guided medicinal chemistry optimization. The compounds demonstrate potent inhibition against Pim-1 and Pim-2 in enzyme assays. Compound 29 has been tested in the Ambit 442 kinase panel and demonstrates good selectivity for the Pim kinase family. X-ray structures of the inhibitor/Pim-1 binding complex reveal important salt-bridge and hydrogen bond interactions mediated by the compound's carboxylic acid and amino groups.

Design and synthesis of pyridin-2-yloxymethylpiperidin-1-ylbutyl amide CCR5 antagonists that are potent inhibitors of M-tropic (R5) HIV-1 replication.

A novel series of CCR5 antagonists were identified based on the redesign of Schering C. An SAR was established based on inhibition of CCR5 (RANTES) binding and these compounds exhibited potent inhibition of R5 HIV-1 replication in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

HIV-1 entry inhibition by small-molecule CCR5 antagonists: a combined molecular modeling and mutant study using a high-throughput assay.

Based on the attrition rate of CCR5 small molecule antagonists in the clinic the discovery and development of next generation antagonists with an improved pharmacology and safety profile is necessary. Herein, we describe a combined molecular modeling, CCR5-mediated cell fusion, and receptor site-directed mutagenesis approach to study the molecular interactions of six structurally diverse compounds (aplaviroc, maraviroc, vicriviroc, TAK-779, SCH-C and a benzyloxycarbonyl-aminopiperidin-1-yl-butane derivative) with CCR5, a coreceptor for CCR5-tropic HIV-1 strains. This is the first study using an antifusogenic assay, a model of the interaction of the gp120 envelope protein with CCR5. This assay avoids the use of radioactivity and HIV infection assays, and can be used in a high throughput mode. The assay was validated by comparison with other established CCR5 assays. Given the hydrophobic nature of the binding pocket several binding models are suggested which could prove useful in the rational drug design of new lead compounds.

Aminoindoles, a novel scaffold with potent activity against Plasmodium falciparum.

This study characterizes aminoindole molecules that are analogs of Genz-644442. Genz-644442 was identified as a hit in a screen of ~70,000 compounds in the Broad Institute's small-molecule library and the ICCB-L compound collection at Harvard Medical School. Genz-644442 is a potent inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro (50% inhibitory concentrations [IC50s], 200 to 285 nM) and inhibits P. berghei in vivo with an efficacy of > 99% in an adapted version of Peters' 4-day suppressive test (W. Peters, Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol. 69:155-171, 1975). Genz-644442 became the focus of medicinal chemistry optimization; 321 analogs were synthesized and were tested for in vitro potency against P. falciparum and for in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. This yielded compounds with IC50s of approximately 30 nM. The lead compound, Genz-668764, has been characterized in more detail. It is a single enantiomer with IC50s of 28 to 65 nM against P. falciparum in vitro. In the 4-day P. berghei model, when it was dosed at 100 mg/kg of body weight/day, no parasites were detected on day 4 postinfection. However, parasites recrudesced by day 9. Dosing at 200 mg/kg/day twice a day resulted in cures of 3/5 animals. The compound had comparable activity against P. falciparum blood stages in a human-engrafted NOD-scid mouse model. Genz-668764 had a terminal half-life of 2.8 h and plasma trough levels of 41 ng/ml when it was dosed twice a day orally at 55 mg/kg/day. Seven-day rat safety studies showed a no-observable-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) at 200 mg/kg/day; the compound was not mutagenic in Ames tests, did not inhibit the hERG channel, and did not have potent activity against a broad panel of receptors and enzymes. Employing allometric scaling and using in vitro ADME data, the predicted human minimum efficacious dose of Genz-668764 in a 3-day once-daily dosing regimen was 421 mg/day/70 kg, which would maintain plasma trough levels above the IC90 against P. falciparum for at least 96 h after the last dose. The predicted human therapeutic index was approximately 3, on the basis of the exposure in rats at the NOAEL. We were unable to select for parasites with >2-fold decreased sensitivity to the parent compound, Genz-644442, over 270 days of in vitro culture under drug pressure. These characteristics make Genz-668764 a good candidate for preclinical development.

Design of novel CXCR4 antagonists that are potent inhibitors of T-tropic (X4) HIV-1 replication.

A novel series of CXCR4 antagonists were identified based on the substantial redesign of AMD070. These compounds possessed potent anti-HIV-1 activity and showed excellent pharmacokinetics in rat and dog.