Nicholas Scorah

Discovery of TAK-733, a potent and selective MEK allosteric site inhibitor for the treatment of cancer.

A novel 5-phenylamino-8-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-4,7(3H,8H)-dione series of MEK inhibitors has been developed using structure-based drug design. Lead optimization of this series led to the discovery of TAK-733. This was advanced to Phase I clinical studies for cancer treatment.

Design and synthesis of orally available MEK inhibitors with potent in vivo antitumor efficacy

The structure-based design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of two novel series of potent and selective MEK kinase inhibitors are described herein. The elaboration of a lead pyrrole derivative to a bicyclic dihydroindolone core provided compounds with high potency and good drug-like pharmaceutical properties. Further scaffold modification afforded a series of dihydroindolizinone inhibitors, including an orally available advanced preclinical MEK inhibitor with potent in vivo antitumor efficacy.