Domenico Alloatti

Novel A-Ring and B-Ring Modified Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) Analogues Endowed with Interesting Cytotoxic Activity

A novel class of combretastatins, modified at A-ring or both A- and B-rings, mainly by replacement with benzofuran or benzo[b]thiophene, were synthesized. The new heterocombretastatins showed good cytotoxic activity on BMEC and H-460 cell lines. The aminocombretastatin 9f potently inhibits cell growth of BMEC and combretastatin-resistant HT-29 cell lines, with potential interest to treat colon carcinoma. Heterocombretastatins 9a,b inhibit tubulin polymerization similarly to CA-4 by having a binding to colchicine site five times stronger.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Fluorinated Combretastatin Analogues

With the aim of understanding the influence of fluorine on the double bond of the cis-stilbene moiety of combretastatin derivatives and encouraged by a preliminary molecular modeling study showing a different biological environment on the interaction site with tubulin, we prepared, through various synthetic approaches, a small library of compounds in which one or both of the olefinic hydrogens were replaced with fluorine. X-ray analysis on the difluoro-CA-4 analogue demonstrated that the spatial arrangement of the molecule was not modified, compared to its nonfluorinated counterpart. SAR analysis confirmed the importance of the cis-stereochemistry of the stilbene scaffold. Nevertheless, some unpredicted results were observed on a few trans-fluorinated derivatives. The position of a fluorine atom on the double bond may affect the inhibition of tubulin polymerization and cytotoxic activity of these compounds.

Synthesis and Evaluation of New Hsp90 Inhibitors Based on a 1,4,5-Trisubstituted 1,2,3-Triazole Scaffold

Ruthenium catalyzed 1,3-cycloaddition (click chemistry) of an azido moiety installed on dihydroxycumene scaffold with differently substituted aryl propiolates gave a new family of 1,4,5-trisubstituted triazole carboxylic acid derivatives that showed high affinity toward Hsp90 associated with cell proliferation inhibition, both in nanomolar range. The 1,5 arrangement of the resorcinol, the aryl moieties, and the presence of an alkyl (secondary) amide in position 4 of the triazole ring were essential to get high activity. Docking simulations suggested that the triazoles penetrate the Hsp90 ATP binding site. Some 1,4,5-trisubstituted triazole carboxamides induced dramatic depletion of the examined client proteins and a very strong increase in the expression levels of the chaperone Hsp70. In vitro metabolic stability and in vivo preliminary studies on selected compounds have shown promising results comparable to the potent Hsp90 inhibitor NVP-AUY922. One of them, (compound 18, SST0287CL1) was selected for further investigation as the most promising drug candidate.

Novel 3,4-isoxazolediamides as potent inhibitors of chaperone heat shock protein 90.

A structural investigation on the isoxazole scaffold led to the discovery of 3,4-isoxazolediamide compounds endowed with potent Hsp90 inhibitory properties. We have found that compounds possessing a nitrogen atom directly attached to the C-4 heterocycle ring possess in vitro Hsp90 inhibitory properties at least comparable to those of the structurally related 4,5-diarylisoxazole derivatives. A group of compounds from this series of diamides combine potent binding affinity and cell growth inhibitory activity in both series of alkyl- and aryl- or heteroarylamides, with IC50 in the low nanomolar range. The 3,4-isoxazolediamides were also very effective in causing dramatic depletion of the examined client proteins and, as expected for the Hsp90 inhibitors, always induced a very strong increase in the expression levels of the chaperone Hsp70. In vivo studies against human epidermoid carcinoma A431 showed an antitumor effect of morpholine derivative 73 comparable to that induced by the reference compound 10.

Camptothecins in tumor homing via an RGD sequence mimetic

A RGD peptide mimetic was conjugated to four camptothecins, with the purpose to improve their therapeutic index. The conjugate derivatives were evaluated against two tumor cell lines, one overexpressing integrins (human ovarian carcinoma, A2780) and a second one with a low integrin expression (human prostate cancer, PC3). The in vitro screening was completed with the adhesion behavior to vitronectin. Compound 8 (ST7456CL1) was selected for the in vivo investigation after stability tests over 24h, in PBS solution and in rat plasma, and compared to irinotecan. The former showed a prolonged half-life.

New retinoid derivatives as back-ups of Adarotene

Adarotene belongs to the so-called class of atypical retinoids. The presence of the phenolic hydroxyl group on Adarotene structure allows a rapid O-glucuronidation as a major mechanism of elimination of the drug, favoring a fast excretion of its glucuronide metabolite in the urines. A series of ether, carbamate and ester derivatives was synthesized. All of them were studied and evaluated for their stability at different pH. The cytotoxic activity in vitro on NCI-H460 non-small cell lung carcinoma and A2780 ovarian tumor cell lines was also tested. A potential back-up of Adarotene has been selected to be evaluated in tumor models.

Abstract 3896: New heat shock protein 90 inhibitors based on the 1,2,3-triazole structure

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) is a component of a molecular chaperone complex, involved in the folding, maturation and stabilisation of key signalling proteins which control cell proliferation, survival and transformation. It works by modulating a set of cancer-associated proteins, that are often over-expressed and/or mutated in tumor cells, collectively referred as ‘‘clients’’. Inhibition of Hsp90 causes destabilization and eventual degradation of client proteins involved in cell cycle, tumor growth, angiogenesis and apoptosis. Therefore, their modulation results in suppression of tumor growth by multiple parallel mechanisms. Consequently, inhibition of Hsp90 is believed to be a potential target for cancer therapy, also supported by a number of molecules currently under investigation in different phase of clinical trials. We recently synthesized 1,4,5-trisubstituted-1,2,3-triazole derivatives and surprisingly found that these new molecules demonstrated to be extremely active both on the biological target and on human tumor cell lines, even at nanomolar concentration. 3D QSAR analysis was also performed in order to rationalize HSP90 binding data. The overall profile of this new class of 1,2,3-triazoles, including stereoselective synthesis and a comprehensive pharmacological in vitro characterization, will be presented. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3896. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3896

Abstract 3256: New retinoid derivatives as backups of adarotene

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Adarotene (ST1926) (WO03/011808) belongs to a so-called class of atypical retinoids. It represents a new first-in-class potent proapoptotic and cytodifferentiating agent, and was selected by Sigma-Tau for clinical development as a “chemotherapy enhancer” in solid tumors (ovarian ca.). In pre-clinical models of haematological as well as solid tumors, Adarotene induced a DNA damage response and affected the modulation of cancer cell survival pathways. When used in combination with other anticancer agents, Adarotene showed a significant synergistic effect in most of the combinations and models tested.(1-4) A possible mechanism has also been described.(5-6) The presence of the phenolic hydroxyl group on Adarotene structure, allowed a rapid O-glucuronidation as a major mechanism of elimination of the drug, favoring a fast excretion of its glucuronide metabolite in the urines. In order to protect the phenolic hydroxyl and improve the “drug-like” properties of the drug, a series of new derivatives have been synthesized. According to chemical structure, these can be grouped into three classes: ether-, carbamate- and ester-derivatives. All of them have been studied and evaluated for their stability at different pH (1.2 – 6.8 – 7.4). The cytotoxic activity in vitro on NCI-H460 non-small cell lung carcinoma and A2780 ovarian tumor cells was also tested.(7) A potential back-up of Adarotene has been selected to be evaluated in vivo tumor models. (1) J. Med. Chem. 2003, 46, 909-912 (2) Blood, 2004, 103, 194-207 (3) J. Med. Chem. 2005, 48, 4931-4946 (4) Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2007, 15, 4863-4875 (5) J. Med. Chem. 2008, 51, 5650-5662 (6) J. Comput. Aided Mol. Des. 2010, 24, 943-956 (7) WIPO Patent Application WO2010/072727 Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3256. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3256