Mi-Ra Kim

Antitumor activity of HM781-36B, a highly effective pan-HER inhibitor in erlotinib-resistant NSCLC and other EGFR-dependent cancer models†

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family of receptor tyrosine kinases has been implicated in a variety of cancers. In particular, activating mutations such as the L858R point mutation in exon 21 and the small in‐frame deletions in exon 19 of the EGFR tyrosine kinase domain are correlated with sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Clinical treatment of patients is limited by the development of drug resistance resulting mainly from a gatekeeper mutation (T790M). In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of a novel, irreversible pan‐HER inhibitor, HM781‐36B. The results from this study show that HM781‐36B is a potent inhibitor of EGFR in vitro, including the EGFR‐acquired resistance mutation (T790M), as well as HER‐2 and HER‐4, compared with other EGFR tyrosine kinases inhibitors (erlotinib, lapatinib and BIBW2992). HM781‐36B treatment of EGFR DelE746_A750‐harboring erlotinib‐sensitive HCC827 and EGFR L858R/T790M‐harboring erlotinib‐resistant NCI‐H1975 NSCLC cells results in the inhibition of EGFR phosphorylation and the subsequent deactivation of downstream signaling proteins. Additionally, HM781‐36B shows an excellent efficacy in a variety of EGFR‐ and HER‐2‐dependent tumor xenograft models, including erlotinib‐sensitive HCC827 NSCLC cells, erlotinib‐resistant NCI‐H1975 NSCLC cells, HER‐2 overexpressing Calu‐3 NSCLC cells, NCI‐N87 gastric cancer cells, SK‐Ov3 ovarian cancer cells and EGFR‐overexpressing A431 epidermoid carcinoma cancer cells. On the basis of these preclinical results, HM781‐36B is the most potent pan‐HER inhibitor, which will be advantageous for the treatment of patients with NSCLC including clinical limitation caused by acquired mutation (EGFR T790M), breast cancer and gastric cancer.

Synthesis of proline analogues as potent and selective cathepsin S inhibitors

Cathepsin S is a potential target of autoimmune disease. A series of proline derived compounds were synthesized and evaluated as cathepsin S inhibitors. We discovered potent cathepsin S inhibitors through structure-activity relationship studies of proline analogues. In particular, compound 19-(S) showed promising in vitro/vivo pharmacological activities and properties as a selective cathepsin S inhibitor.

Discovery of novel pyrimidine and malonamide derivatives as TGR5 agonists.

Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) is a promising molecular target for metabolic diseases. A series of 4-(2,5-dichlorophenoxy)pyrimidine and cyclopropylmalonamide derivatives were synthesized as potent agonists of TGR5 based on a bioisosteric replacement strategy. Several compounds exhibited improved potency, compared to a reference compound with a pyridine scaffold. The pharmacokinetic profile of the representative compound 18 was considered moderate.

DA-125, a new antitumor agent, inhibits topoisomerase ii as topoisomerase poison and dna intercalator simultaneously

DA-125, a novel derivative of adriamycin, is known for its anti-cancer activity. In this study, the inhibitory mechanism of DA-125 on topoisomerase was investigated in the simian virus 40 (SV40) replicating CV-1 cell by studying the SV40 DNA replication intermediates and DNA-topoisomerase complexes. DNA-protein complexes that were formed in the drug-treated cells were quantitated by using a glass filter assay. SV40 DNA replication intermediates that were accumulated in the drug-treated CV-1 cell were analyzed in a high resolution gel. DA-125 did not accumulate B-dimers of SV40 DNA replication intermediates which were found in the adriamycin-treated CV-1 cells. DA-125 induced a dose-dependent formation of the DNA-protein complexes, while adriamycin did not. When adriamycin and etoposide (VP16) were added to the SV40-infected cells at the same time, adriamycin blocked the formation of the DNA-protein complexes induced by VP16 in a dose-dependent manner. However, DA-125 blocked the formation of the DNA-protein complexes induced by VP16 up to the maximum level of the DNA-protein complexes that were induced by DA-125 alone. Adriamycin and DA-125 did not inhibit the formation of the DNA-protein complexes that were caused by camptothecin, a known topoisomerase I poison. DA-125 is bifunctional in inhibiting topoisomerase II because it simultaneously has the properties of the topoisomerase II poison and the DNA intercalator. As a topoisomerase II poison, DA-125 alone induced dose-dependent formation of the DNA-protein complexes. However, as a DNA intercalator, it quantitatively inhibited the formation of the DNA-protein complexes induced by a strong topoisomerase II poison VP16. Furthermore considering that the levels of the DNA-protein complex induced by VP16 were decreased by DA-125 in terms of the topoisomerase II poison, we suggest that DA-125 has a higher affinity to the drug-binding sites of DNA than VP16 has.