Patricia Imbach

2,6,9-trisubstituted purines : Optimization towards highly potent and selective CDK1 inhibitors

Novel 2,6,9-substituted purine derivatives represent a class of potent and selective inhibitors of CDK1/cyclinB. The synthesis, SAR and biological profile of selected compounds are described.

The small molecule specific EphB4 kinase inhibitor NVP-BHG712 inhibits VEGF driven angiogenesis

EphB4 and its cognitive ligand ephrinB2 play an important role in embryonic vessel development and vascular remodeling. In addition, several reports suggest that this receptor ligand pair is also involved in pathologic vessel formation in adults including tumor angiogenesis. Eph/ephrin signaling is a complex phenomena characterized by receptor forward signaling through the tyrosine kinase of the receptor and ephrin reverse signaling through various protein–protein interaction domains and phosphorylation motifs of the ephrin ligands. Therefore, interfering with EphR/ephrin signaling by the means of targeted gene ablation, soluble receptors, dominant negative mutants or antisense molecules often does not allow to discriminate between inhibition of Eph/ephrin forward and reverse signaling. We developed a specific small molecular weight kinase inhibitor of the EphB4 kinase, NVP-BHG712, which inhibits EphB4 kinase activity in the low nanomolar range in cellular assays showed high selectivity for targeting the EphB4 kinase when profiled against other kinases in biochemical as well as in cell based assays. Furthermore, NVP-BHG712 shows excellent pharmacokinetic properties and potently inhibits EphB4 autophosphorylation in tissues after oral administration. In vivo, NVP-BHG712 inhibits VEGF driven vessel formation, while it has only little effects on VEGF receptor (VEGFR) activity in vitro or in cellular assays. The data shown here suggest a close cross talk between the VEGFR and EphR signaling during vessel formation. In addition to its established function in vascular remodeling and endothelial arterio-venous differentiation, EphB4 forward signaling appears to be an important mediator of VEGF induced angiogenesis since inhibition of EphB4 forward signaling is sufficient to inhibit VEGF induced angiogenesis.

Modeling of the Binding Mode of a Non-covalent Inhibitor of the 20S Proteasome. Application to Structure-Based Analogue Design

The 2-aminobenzvlstatine derivative I is a 20S proteasome inhibitor of a novel chemical type identified by high throughput screening. The compound specifically inhibits the chymotrypsin-like catalytic activity of the human proteasome with an IC50 value in the micromolar range. Using the crystal structure of the yeast proteasome, we modeled the structure of the human proteasome in complex with 1. As one of the first applications of the model in our oncology programme targeting the proteasome, we designed an analogue of the inhibitor having enhanced stacking/hydrophobic interactions with the enzyme. One order of magnitude in inhibitory potency was gained.

A New Structural Class of Selective and Non-covalent Inhibitors of the Chymotrypsin-like Activity of the 20S Proteasome

We describe the identification and in vitro characterization of a series of 2-aminobenzylstatine derivatives that inhibit non-covalently the chymotrypsin-like activity of the 20S proteasome. Our initial SAR data demonstrate that the 2-aminobenzylstatine core structure can effectively serve as the basis for designing potent, selective and non-covalent inhibitors of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the 20S proteasome.

Structure-based optimisation of 2-aminobenzylstatine derivatives: potent and selective inhibitors of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the human 20S proteasome.

We have identified 2-aminobenzylstatine derivatives that inhibit non-covalently the chymotrypsin-like activity of the human 20S proteasome. A structure-based optimisation approach has allowed us to improve the potency of this structural class of proteasome inhibitors from micromolar to nanomolar level. The new derivatives showed good selectivity against the trypsin-like and post-glutamyl-peptide hydrolytic activities of this enzyme.

Abstract 1922: 2-Aminothiazoles as potent and selective PI3Kalpha inhibitors: Discovery of NVP-BYL719 and structural basis for the isoform selectivity

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL PI3Ks are lipid kinases that control signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, motility, cell death and cell invasion. Class I PI3K contains four isoforms, p110α, p110α, p110α and p110α which carry out non redundant signaling functions. The ≤ and ≤ isoforms are ubiquitously expressed, whereas the ≤ and ≤ isoforms are expressed primarily in lymphocytes and engaged in the regulation of immune responses. A gain of function in PI3K signaling is common to many types of human cancer, specifically mutations in PIK3CA which are found in more than 30% of various solid tumor types, including, breast, endometrium, bladder, colorectal cancers as well as lung cancers. As these mutations constitutively activate the lipid kinase activity of the protein, the cancer-specific mutants of p110α appear to be ideal therapeutic targets for anticancer drug development. p110α isoform specific low molecular weight inhibitors could be efficacious against tumors harboring p110alpha mutations and provide an improved safety profile compared to current pan-PI3K modulators. The 2-aminothiazole scaffold proved to be an excellent starting point for the development of potent PI3K inhibitors. Depending on the substitution pattern good PI3Kalpha selectivity can be achieved. Systematic modification of key residues and further optimization of the drug-like and PK properties have led to the identification of NVP-BYL719, a potent and selective PI3Kalpha inhibitor with a promising biological activity. SAR leading to the discovery of NVP-BYL719 and the structural basis for the PI3Kalpha selectivity will be discussed. 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 1922. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1922

Non-covalent inhibitors of the 20S proteasome

Peptidomimetics have been commonly used as lead compounds to design inhibitors with high affinity and specificity for a particular enzyme. The discovery that a 2-aminobenzylstatine derivative originally designed to targetan aspartyl protease was able to inhibit specifically and non-covalently the chymotrypsinlike activity of the 20S proteasome represented a unique starting point for our medicinal chemistry endeavor for this target. Utilizing a structure-based design approach, we have been able to improve the potency of this new class of proteasome inhibitors without affecting its in vitro selectivity profile.