Expanding RNAi therapeutics to extrahepatic tissues with lipophilic conjugates.

Therapeutics based on short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) delivered to hepatocytes have been approved, but new delivery solutions are needed to target additional organs. Here we show that conjugation of 2'-O-hexadecyl (C16) to siRNAs enables safe, potent and durable silencing in the central nervous system (CNS), eye and lung in rodents and non-human primates with broad cell type specificity. We show that intrathecally or intracerebroventricularly delivered C16-siRNAs were active across CNS regions and cell types, with sustained RNA interference (RNAi) activity for at least 3 months. Similarly, intravitreal administration to the eye or intranasal administration to the lung resulted in a potent and durable knockdown. The preclinical efficacy of an siRNA targeting the amyloid precursor protein was evaluated through intracerebroventricular dosing in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, resulting in amelioration of physiological and behavioral deficits. Altogether, C16 conjugation of siRNAs has the potential for safe therapeutic silencing of target genes outside the liver with infrequent dosing.

Investigating the pharmacodynamic durability of GalNAc-siRNA conjugates.

One hallmark of trivalent N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated siRNAs is the remarkable durability of silencing that can persist for months in preclinical species and humans. Here, we investigated the underlying biology supporting this extended duration of pharmacological activity. We found that siRNA accumulation and stability in acidic intracellular compartments is critical for long-term activity. We show that functional siRNA can be liberated from these compartments and loaded into newly generated Argonaute 2 protein complexes weeks after dosing, enabling continuous RNAi activity over time. Identical siRNAs delivered in lipid nanoparticles or as GalNAc conjugates were dose-adjusted to achieve similar knockdown, but only GalNAc-siRNAs supported an extended duration of activity, illustrating the importance of receptor-mediated siRNA trafficking in the process. Taken together, we provide several lines of evidence that acidic intracellular compartments serve as a long-term depot for GalNAc-siRNA conjugates and are the major contributor to the extended duration of activity observed in vivo.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Thiazoloquinolinones with Linkers To Enable Targeting of CD38.

Several monoclonal antibodies and inhibitors targeting CD38, an ectoenzyme overexpressed on malignant plasma cells, have previously been discovered. Herein, we expand structure-activity relationships of reported small-molecule thiazoloquinolinones and show that several 4-cyclohexylamino analogues have potent binding affinity for CD38 using surface plasmon resonance. Moreover, active amine analogues could be acylated and functionalized with alkyne and fluorescein groups. Fluorescein analogue 21 bound selectively to CD38 overexpressing cells, demonstrating the potential utility of thiazoloquinolinones as small-molecule conjugates for the delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents.

Discovery of 3-[2-(imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazin-3-yl)ethynyl]-4-methyl-N-{4-[(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl]-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl}benzamide (AP24534), a potent, orally active pan-inhibitor of breakpoint cluster region-abelson (BCR-ABL) kinase including the T315I gatekeeper mutant.

In the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors, the T315I gatekeeper mutant has emerged as resistant to all currently approved agents. This report describes the structure-guided design of a novel series of potent pan-inhibitors of BCR-ABL, including the T315I mutation. A key structural feature is the carbon-carbon triple bond linker which skirts the increased bulk of Ile315 side chain. Extensive SAR studies led to the discovery of development candidate 20g (AP24534), which inhibited the kinase activity of both native BCR-ABL and the T315I mutant with low nM IC(50)s, and potently inhibited proliferation of corresponding Ba/F3-derived cell lines. Daily oral administration of 20g significantly prolonged survival of mice injected intravenously with BCR-ABL(T315I) expressing Ba/F3 cells. These data, coupled with a favorable ADME profile, support the potential of 20g to be an effective treatment for CML, including patients refractory to all currently approved therapies.

9-(Arenethenyl)purines as dual Src/Abl kinase inhibitors targeting the inactive conformation: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation.

A novel series of potent dual Src/Abl kinase inhibitors based on a 9-(arenethenyl)purine core has been identified. Unlike traditional dual Src/Abl inhibitors targeting the active enzyme conformation, these inhibitors bind to the inactive, DFG-out conformation of both kinases. Extensive SAR studies led to the discovery of potent and orally bioavailable inhibitors, some of which demonstrated in vivo efficacy. Once-daily oral administration of inhibitor 9i (AP24226) significantly prolonged the survival of mice injected intravenously with wild type Bcr-Abl expressing Ba/F3 cells at a dose of 10 mg/kg. In a separate model, oral administration of 9i to mice bearing subcutaneous xenografts of Src Y527F expressing NIH 3T3 cells elicited dose-dependent tumor shrinkage with complete tumor regression observed at the highest dose. Notably, several inhibitors (e.g., 14a, AP24163) exhibited modest cellular potency (IC50 = 300-400 nM) against the Bcr-Abl mutant T315I, a variant resistant to all currently marketed therapies for chronic myeloid leukemia.

Novel N9-arenethenyl purines as potent dual Src/Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Novel N(9)-arenethenyl purines, optimized potent dual Src/Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors, are described. The key structural feature is a trans vinyl linkage at N(9) on the purine core which projects hydrophobic substituents into the selectivity pocket at the rear of the ATP site. Their synthesis was achieved through a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of N(9)-phosphorylmethylpurines and substituted benzaldehydes or Heck reactions between 9-vinyl purines and aryl halides. Most compounds are potent inhibitors of both Src and Abl kinase, and several possess good oral bioavailability.

Vibrational spectrum, ab initio calculation, conformational equilibria and torsional modes of 1,3-dibromopropane.

The infrared and Raman spectrum of 1,3-dibromopropane is reported in the crystalline, liquid and gaseous states. These measurements are compared to the results of ab initio calculations carried out using the 6-31+g* Gaussian basis set for a restricted Hartree-Fock computation. The calculation was repeated using second order Moeller-Ploesset perturbation theory to accommodate electron correlation using the 6-31 g* basis set. The three most stable conformers are GG (C2), AG (C1) and AA (C2v), where A and G stand for anti and gauche orientations of the bromomethyl group relative to the plane of the carbon atoms. The point group symmetry of each structure is given in parentheses. The fourth conformer, G'G (Cs) is of such high energy that it is not observed experimentally in isotropic media in either the infrared or Raman spectrum. In the crystalline state, comparison of the infrared and Raman spectrum with that calculated for the C2 conformer shows that only the GG (C2) conformer survives, and the doublet structure of many of the bands in the spectrum indicates at least two molecules per unit cell. The ab initio calculations predict and the temperature dependence of the Raman spectrum of the liquid confirms that the stability order is C2