Danielle Falcone

Discovery of a 5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-5-one (MK-2461) inhibitor of c-Met kinase for the treatment of cancer.

c-Met is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase that mediates activation of several signaling pathways implicated in aggressive cancer phenotypes. In recent years, research into this area has highlighted c-Met as an attractive cancer drug target, triggering a number of approaches to disrupt aberrant c-Met signaling. Screening efforts identified a unique class of 5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-5-one kinase inhibitors, exemplified by 1. Subsequent SAR studies led to the development of 81 (MK-2461), a potent inhibitor of c-Met that was efficacious in preclinical animal models of tumor suppression. In addition, biochemical studies and X-ray analysis have revealed that this unique class of kinase inhibitors binds preferentially to the activated (phosphorylated) form of the kinase. This report details the development of 81 and provides a description of its unique biochemical properties.

Discovery of 1-[3-(1-Methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-5-oxo-5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-7-yl]-N-(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)methanesulfonamide (MK-8033): A Specific c-Met/Ron Dual Kinase Inhibitor with Preferential Affinity for the Activated State of c-Met

This report documents the first example of a specific inhibitor of protein kinases with preferential binding to the activated kinase conformation: 5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-5-one 11r (MK-8033), a dual c-Met/Ron inhibitor under investigation as a treatment for cancer. The design of 11r was based on the desire to reduce time-dependent inhibition of CYP3A4 (TDI) by members of this structural class. A novel two-step protocol for the synthesis of benzylic sulfonamides was developed to access 11r and analogues. We provide a rationale for the observed selectivity based on X-ray crystallographic evidence and discuss selectivity trends with additional examples. Importantly, 11r provides full inhibition of tumor growth in a c-Met amplified (GTL-16) subcutaneous tumor xenograft model and may have an advantage over inactive form kinase inhibitors due to equal potency against a panel of oncogenic activating mutations of c-Met in contrast to c-Met inhibitors without preferential binding to the active kinase conformation.