Design and Discovery of N-(3-(2-(2-Hydroxyethoxy)-6-morpholinopyridin-4-yl)-4-methylphenyl)-2-(trifluoromethyl)isonicotinamide, a Selective, Efficacious, and Well-Tolerated RAF Inhibitor Targeting RAS Mutant Cancers: The Path to the Clinic

J Med Chem. 2020 Mar 12;63(5):2013-2027. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00161. Epub 2019 May 16.

Abstract

Direct pharmacological inhibition of RAS has remained elusive, and efforts to target CRAF have been challenging due to the complex nature of RAF signaling, downstream of activated RAS, and the poor overall kinase selectivity of putative RAF inhibitors. Herein, we describe 15 (LXH254, Aversa, R.; et al. Int. Patent WO2014151616A1, 2014), a selective B/C RAF inhibitor, which was developed by focusing on drug-like properties and selectivity. Our previous tool compound, 3 (RAF709; Nishiguchi, G. A.; et al. J. Med. Chem. 2017, 60, 4969), was potent, selective, efficacious, and well tolerated in preclinical models, but the high human intrinsic clearance precluded further development and prompted further investigation of close analogues. A structure-based approach led to a pyridine series with an alcohol side chain that could interact with the DFG loop and significantly improved cell potency. Further mitigation of human intrinsic clearance and time-dependent inhibition led to the discovery of 15. Due to its excellent properties, it was progressed through toxicology studies and is being tested in phase 1 clinical trials.

Publication types

  • News

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Drug Discovery / trends
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation / methods
  • Molecular Docking Simulation / trends
  • Mutation / drug effects
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays / methods

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf