Facile Modulation of Antibody Fucosylation with Small Molecule Fucostatin Inhibitors and Cocrystal Structure with GDP-Mannose 4,6-Dehydratase

The efficacy of therapeutic antibodies that induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity can be improved by reduced fucosylation. Consequently, fucosylation is a critical product attribute of monoclonal antibodies produced as protein therapeutics. Small molecule fucosylation inhibitors have also shown promise as potential therapeutics in animal models of tumors, arthritis, and sickle cell disease. Potent small molecule metabolic inhibitors of cellular protein fucosylation, 6,6,6-trifluorofucose per-<i>O</i>-acetate and 6,6,6-trifluorofucose (fucostatin I), were identified that reduces the fucosylation of recombinantly expressed antibodies in cell culture in a concentration-dependent fashion enabling the controlled modulation of protein fucosylation levels. 6,6,6-Trifluorofucose binds at an allosteric site of GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase (GMD) as revealed for the first time by the X-ray cocrystal structure of a bound allosteric GMD inhibitor. 6,6,6-Trifluorofucose was found to be incorporated in place of fucose at low levels (<1%) in the glycans of recombinantly expressed antibodies. A fucose-1-phosphonate analog, fucostatin II, was designed that inhibits fucosylation with no incorporation into antibody glycans, allowing the production of afucosylated antibodies in which the incorporation of non-native sugar is <i>completely absent</i>a key advantage in the production of therapeutic antibodies, especially biosimilar antibodies. Inhibitor structure–activity relationships, identification of cellular and inhibitor metabolites in inhibitor-treated cells, fucose competition studies, and the production of recombinant antibodies with varying levels of fucosylation are described

Discovery, Optimization, and in Vivo Evaluation of Benzimidazole Derivatives AM-8508 and AM-9635 as Potent and Selective PI3Kδ Inhibitors

Lead optimization efforts resulted in the discovery of two potent, selective, and orally bioavailable PI3Kδ inhibitors, <b>1</b> (AM-8508) and <b>2</b> (AM-9635), with good pharmacokinetic properties. The compounds inhibit B cell receptor (BCR)-mediated AKT phosphorylation (pAKT) in PI3Kδ-dependent in vitro cell based assays. These compounds which share a benzimidazole bicycle are effective when administered in vivo at unbound concentrations consistent with their in vitro cell potency as a consequence of improved unbound drug concentration with lower unbound clearance. Furthermore, the compounds demonstrated efficacy in a Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH) study in rats, where the blockade of PI3Kδ activity by inbibitors <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> led to effective inhibition of antigen-specific IgG and IgM formation after immunization with KLH

Discovery and in Vivo Evaluation of the Potent and Selective PI3Kδ Inhibitors 2‑((1<i>S</i>)‑1-((6-Amino-5-cyano-4-pyrimidinyl)amino)ethyl)-6-fluoro‑<i>N</i>‑methyl-3-(2-pyridinyl)-4-quinolinecarboxamide (AM-0687) and 2‑((1<i>S</i>)‑1-((6-Amino-5-cyano-4-pyrimidinyl)amino)ethyl)-5-fluoro‑<i>N</i>‑methyl-3-(2-pyridinyl)-4-quinolinecarboxamide (AM-1430)

Optimization of the potency and pharmacokinetic profile of 2,3,4-trisubstituted quinoline, <b>4</b>, led to the discovery of two potent, selective, and orally bioavailable PI3Kδ inhibitors, <b>6a</b> (AM-0687) and <b>7</b> (AM-1430). On the basis of their improved profile, these analogs were selected for in vivo pharmacodynamic (PD) and efficacy experiments in animal models of inflammation. The in vivo PD studies, which were carried out in a mouse pAKT inhibition animal model, confirmed the observed potency of <b>6a</b> and <b>7</b> in biochemical and cellular assays. Efficacy experiments in a keyhole limpet hemocyanin model in rats demonstrated that administration of either <b>6a</b> or <b>7</b> resulted in a strong dose-dependent reduction of IgG and IgM specific antibodies. The excellent in vitro and in vivo profiles of these analogs make them suitable for further development

Structure-Based Design of a Novel Series of Potent, Selective Inhibitors of the Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases

A highly selective series of inhibitors of the class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) has been designed and synthesized. Starting from the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor <b>5</b>, a structure-based approach was used to improve potency and selectivity, resulting in the identification of <b>54</b> as a potent inhibitor of the class I PI3Ks with excellent selectivity over mTOR, related phosphatidylinositol kinases, and a broad panel of protein kinases. Compound <b>54</b> demonstrated a robust PD–PK relationship inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway in vivo in a mouse model, and it potently inhibited tumor growth in a U-87 MG xenograft model with an activated PI3K/Akt pathway

A Potent and Orally Efficacious, Hydroxyethylamine-Based Inhibitor of β-Secretase

β-Secretase inhibitors are potentially disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease. Previous efforts in our laboratory have resulted in hydroxyethylamine-derived inhibitors such as <b>1</b> with low nanomolar potency against β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE). When dosed intravenously, compound <b>1</b> was also shown to significantly reduce Aβ₄₀ levels in plasma, brain, and cerebral spinal fluid. Herein, we report further optimizations that led to the discovery of inhibitor <b>16</b> as a novel, potent, and orally efficacious BACE inhibitor

Discovery and in Vivo Evaluation of (<i>S</i>)‑<i>N</i>‑(1-(7-Fluoro-2-(pyridin-2-yl)quinolin-3-yl)ethyl)‑9<i>H</i>‑purin-6-amine (AMG319) and Related PI3Kδ Inhibitors for Inflammation and Autoimmune Disease

The development and optimization of a series of quinolinylpurines as potent and selective PI3Kδ kinase inhibitors with excellent physicochemical properties are described. This medicinal chemistry effort led to the identification of <b>1</b> (AMG319), a compound with an IC₅₀ of 16 nM in a human whole blood assay (HWB), excellent selectivity over a large panel of protein kinases, and a high level of in vivo efficacy as measured by two rodent disease models of inflammation

Selective Class I Phosphoinositide 3‑Kinase Inhibitors: Optimization of a Series of Pyridyltriazines Leading to the Identification of a Clinical Candidate, AMG 511

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase family catalyzes the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-diphosphate to phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate, a secondary messenger which plays a critical role in important cellular functions such as metabolism, cell growth, and cell survival. Our efforts to identify potent, efficacious, and orally available phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors as potential cancer therapeutics have resulted in the discovery of 4-(2-((6-methoxypyridin-3-yl)­amino)-5-((4-(methylsulfonyl)­piperazin-1-yl)­methyl)­pyridin-3-yl)-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-amine (<b>1</b>). In this paper, we describe the optimization of compound <b>1</b>, which led to the design and synthesis of pyridyltriazine <b>31</b>, a potent pan inhibitor of class I PI3Ks with a superior pharmacokinetic profile. Compound <b>31</b> was shown to potently block the targeted PI3K pathway in a mouse liver pharmacodynamic model and inhibit tumor growth in a U87 malignant glioma glioblastoma xenograft model. On the basis of its excellent in vivo efficacy and pharmacokinetic profile, compound <b>31</b> was selected for further evaluation as a clinical candidate and was designated AMG 511

Design and Preparation of a Potent Series of Hydroxyethylamine Containing β-Secretase Inhibitors That Demonstrate Robust Reduction of Central β-Amyloid

A series of potent hydroxyethyl amine (HEA) derived inhibitors of β-site APP cleaving enzyme (BACE1) was optimized to address suboptimal pharmacokinetics and poor CNS partitioning. This work identified a series of benzodioxolane analogues that possessed improved metabolic stability and increased oral bioavailability. Subsequent efforts focused on improving CNS exposure by limiting susceptibility to Pgp-mediated efflux and identified an inhibitor which demonstrated robust and sustained reduction of CNS β-amyloid (Aβ) in Sprague–Dawley rats following oral administration