Demonstration of a genetic therapeutic index for tumors expressing oncogenic BRAF by the kinase inhibitor SB-590885.

Oncogenic BRAF alleles are both necessary and sufficient for cellular transformation, suggesting that chemical inhibition of the activated mutant protein kinase may reverse the tumor phenotype. Here, we report the characterization of SB-590885, a novel triarylimidazole that selectively inhibits Raf kinases with more potency towards B-Raf than c-Raf. Crystallographic analysis revealed that SB-590885 stabilizes the oncogenic B-Raf kinase domain in an active configuration, which is distinct from the previously reported mechanism of action of the multi-kinase inhibitor, BAY43-9006. Malignant cells expressing oncogenic B-Raf show selective inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, proliferation, transformation, and tumorigenicity when exposed to SB-590885, whereas other cancer cell lines and normal cells display variable sensitivities or resistance to similar treatment. These studies support the validation of oncogenic B-Raf as a target for cancer therapy and provide the first evidence of a correlation between the expression of oncogenic BRAF alleles and a positive response to a selective B-Raf inhibitor.

Synthesis and SAR of pyrrolotriazine-4-one based Eg5 inhibitors.

Synthesis and SAR of substituted pyrrolotriazine-4-one analogues as Eg5 inhibitors are described. Many of these analogues displayed potent inhibitory activities in the Eg5 ATPase and A2780 cell proliferation assays. In addition, pyrrolotriazine-4-one analogue 26 demonstrated in vivo efficacy in an iv P388 murine leukemia model. Both NMR and X-ray crystallographic studies revealed that these analogues bind to an allosteric site on the Eg5 protein.

Synthesis and biological activity of N-aryl-2-aminothiazoles: potent pan inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases.

N-Aryl aminothiazoles 6-9 were prepared from 2-bromothiazole 5 and found to be CDK inhibitors. In cells they act as potent cytotoxic agents. Selectivity for CDK1, CDK2, and CDK4 was dependent of the nature of the N-aryl group and distinct from the CDK2 selective N-acyl analogues. The N-2-pyridyl analogues 7 and 19 showed pan CDK inhibitory activity. Elaborated analogues 19 and 23 exhibited anticancer activity in mice against P388 murine leukemia. The solid-state structure of 7 bound to CDK2 shows a similar binding mode to the N-acyl analogues.

N-(cycloalkylamino)acyl-2-aminothiazole inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase 2. N-[5-[[[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2-oxazolyl]methyl]thio]-2-thiazolyl]-4- piperidinecarboxamide (BMS-387032), a highly efficacious and selective antitumor agent.

N-Acyl-2-aminothiazoles with nonaromatic acyl side chains containing a basic amine were found to be potent, selective inhibitors of CDK2/cycE which exhibit antitumor activity in mice. In particular, compound 21 [N-[5-[[[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2-oxazolyl]methyl]thio]-2-thiazolyl]-4-piperidinecarboxamide, BMS-387032], has been identified as an ATP-competitive and CDK2-selective inhibitor which has been selected to enter Phase 1 human clinical trials as an antitumor agent. In a cell-free enzyme assay, 21 showed a CDK2/cycE IC(50) = 48 nM and was 10- and 20-fold selective over CDK1/cycB and CDK4/cycD, respectively. It was also highly selective over a panel of 12 unrelated kinases. Antiproliferative activity was established in an A2780 cellular cytotoxicity assay in which 21 showed an IC(50) = 95 nM. Metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies showed that 21 exhibited a plasma half-life of 5-7 h in three species and moderately low protein binding in both mouse (69%) and human (63%) serum. Dosed orally to mouse, rat, and dog, 21 showed 100%, 31%, and 28% bioavailability, respectively. As an antitumor agent in mice, 21 administered at its maximum-tolerated dose exhibited a clearly superior efficacy profile when compared to flavopiridol in both an ip/ip P388 murine tumor model and in a s.c./i.p. A2780 human ovarian carcinoma xenograft model.

Discovery of aminothiazole inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase 2: synthesis, X-ray crystallographic analysis, and biological activities.

High throughput screening identified 2-acetamido-thiazolylthio acetic ester 1 as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2). Because this compound is inactive in cells and unstable in plasma, we have stabilized it to metabolic hydrolysis by replacing the ester moiety with a 5-ethyl-substituted oxazole as in compound 14. Combinatorial and parallel synthesis provided a rapid analysis of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) for these inhibitors of CDK2, and over 100 analogues with IC(50) values in the 1-10 nM range were rapidly prepared. The X-ray crystallographic data of the inhibitors bound to the active site of CDK2 protein provided insight into the binding modes of these inhibitors, and the SAR of this series of analogues was rationalized. Many of these analogues displayed potent and broad spectrum antiproliferative activity across a panel of tumor cell lines in vitro. In addition, A2780 ovarian carcinoma cells undergo rapid apoptosis following exposure to CDK2 inhibitors of this class. Mechanism of action studies have confirmed that the phosphorylation of CDK2 substrates such as RB, histone H1, and DNA polymerase alpha (p70 subunit) is reduced in the presence of compound 14. Further optimization led to compounds such as water soluble 45, which possesses a favorable pharmacokinetic profile in mice and demonstrates significant antitumor activity in vivo in several murine and human models, including an engineered murine mammary tumor that overexpresses cyclin E, the coactivator of CDK2.