Favorable Pharmacokinetic Profile Research Articles

Structure-Based Design and Optimization of Methionine Adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) Inhibitors with High Selectivity, Brain Penetration, and In Vivo Efficacy.

Synthetic lethality has recently emerged as a new approach for the treatment of mutated genes that were previously considered undruggable. Targeting methionine adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) in cancers with deletion of the methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene leads to synthetic lethality and thus has attracted significant interest in the field of precise anticancer drug development. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of novel MAT2A inhibitors featuring a pyrazolo[3,4-c]quinolin-4-one skeleton based on structure-based drug design. Further optimization led to compound 39, which has a high potency for inhibiting MAT2A and a remarkable selectivity for MTAP-deleted cancer cell lines. Compound 39 has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile with high plasma exposure and oral bioavailability, and it exhibits significant efficacy in xenograft MTAP-depleted models. Moreover, 39 demonstrates excellent brain exposure with a Kpuu of 0.64 in rats.

Design, Synthesis and In vitro Screening of Novel 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole- Clubbed Phenylacetamides as Potential Antibacterial Agents

Background: The frightening rise of bacterial resistance is occurring worldwide and endangering the efficacy of antibiotics. Hence, the development of novel and potent antibacterial is a need of the day. Objective: In this study, we designed and synthesized compounds C1-C11. These compounds are characterized by their FT-IR, NMR and MS spectral data and examined in vitro for their antibacterial activity. Methods: Compounds C1-C11 were synthesized by reacting 2-mercaptobenzothiazole with appropriate chloroacetamide in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate and dry acetone at room temperature. To assess the antibacterial activity, minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations were examined by broth microdilution method against the selected strains of both Gram-positive and Gramnegative bacteria. Time-kill kinetics study was also performed as per CLSI guidelines. Results: Compounds C6 and C7 displayed promising activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 with MICs of 9.43 and 7.73 μM, respectively. These two compounds also displayed promising antibacterial activity against S. aureus 5021 with MIC values of 7.53 and 9.68 μM, respectively. In MBC determination, these two compounds (tested in the concentration range of 7.53 to 262.3 μM) displayed bactericidal activity against methicillin resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300, S. aureus NCIM 5021 and S. aureus NCIM 5022. In time-kill kinetics study, compounds C6 and C7 also exhibited bactericidal activity against S. aureus NCIM 5021 and S. aureus ATCC 43300 after 12 h of exposure. In general, all tested compounds exhibited poor activity against Mycobacterium sp. NCIM 2984 and also against tested Gramnegative bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae NCIM 2706, Escherichia coli NCIM 2065 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 2036. Further, computed ADMET properties of C1-C11 showed a favourable pharmacokinetic profile with zero violation of Lipinski’s rule of five. Conclusion: The result showed that in phenylacetamides C6 and C7 presence of phenyl ring substituted with -CF3 group is responsible for their high antibacterial activity against S. aureus ATCC 43300 (MICs, 9.43 and 7.73 μM, respectively). These two compounds also exhibited bactericidal activity respectively against S. aureus NCIM 5021 in time kill kinetics study.

Narrative Review of Brivaracetam: Preclinical Profile and Clinical Benefits in the Treatment of Patients with Epilepsy.

One third of patients with epilepsy will continue to have uncontrolled seizures despite treatment with antiseizure medications (ASMs). There is therefore a need to develop novel ASMs. Brivaracetam (BRV) is an ASM that was developed in a major drug discovery program aimed at identifying selective, high-affinity synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) ligands, the target molecule of levetiracetam. BRV binds to SV2A with 15- to 30-fold higher affinity and greater selectivity than levetiracetam. BRV has broad-spectrum antiseizure activity in animal models of epilepsy, a favorable pharmacokinetic profile, few clinically relevant drug-drug interactions, and rapid brain penetration. BRV is available in oral and intravenous formulations and can be initiated at target dose without titration. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive BRV (50-200mg/day) treatment of focal-onset seizures was demonstrated in three pivotal phase III trials (NCT00490035/NCT00464269/NCT01261325), including in patients who had previously failed levetiracetam. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive BRV were also demonstrated in adult Asian patients with focal-onset seizures (NCT03083665). In several open-label trials (NCT00150800/NCT00175916/NCT01339559), long-term safety and tolerability of adjunctive BRV was established, with efficacy maintained for up to 14years, with high retention rates. Evidence from daily clinical practice highlights BRV effectiveness and tolerability in specific epilepsy patient populations with high unmet needs: the elderly (≥ 65years of age), children (< 16years of age), patients with cognitive impairment, patients with psychiatric comorbid conditions, and patients with acquired epilepsy of specific etiologies (post-stroke epilepsy/brain tumor related epilepsy/traumatic brain injury-related epilepsy). Here, we review the preclinical profile and clinical benefits of BRV from pivotal trials and recently published evidence from daily clinical practice.

Prediction by DFT and synthesis of new xanthene derivatives: Evaluation of their toxicity and antihyperlipidemic properties in-vivo and in-silico

The current research focuses on the synthesis of novel Xanthene-based heterocyclic compounds and the evaluation of their toxicity and antihyperlipidemic effect. Our approach consists of exploring this synthesis and its mechanism theoretically via DFT calculations, and carrying out the synthesis in the laboratory. The Xanthene derivatives were synthesized by O-p-methylbenzylation and O-benzoylation, and their structures were established using standard spectroscopic methods. The experimental results obtained are in good agreement with the theoretical data. Furthermore, the synthetized Xanthene compounds were evaluated for their acute oral toxicity, and the results suggest the safety of oral administration of these compounds at a dose equal to or less than 2000 mg/kg. These Xanthene derivatives were then evaluated in Triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats and their effects were compared to those of the norm. They were found to have good antihyperlipidemic activity, comparable to that of the marketed antihyperlipidemic drug. In addition to in vivo investigations, in silico studies involving molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, as well as ADME analyses, were carried out to support and explain the experimental results. Additionally, docking results showed that the compounds exhibited robust binding interactions with key residues of the target receptor. Furthermore, the stability of the formed ligand-protein complexes was demonstrated through 100 ns MD simulations. Lastly, the prediction of ADME properties shows that Xanthene compounds possess good and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles.

Chemoinformatic study on phytochemicals from Melissa officinalis for ligand based drug design inhibition of aflatoxins synthesis

This study involved extracting 2D structures of fifty-one (51) GC-MS chromatogram-generated compounds from PubChem a free depository database for generating a library of compounds and obtaining the 3D structure of polyketide synthase A, an enzyme recognized for the biosynthesis of aflatoxin in Aspergillus species, from the protein data bank. In silico (molecular docking was performed to assess the interactions of the phytochemicals in the sample and were screened for their inhibitory potential, having higher binding energy, and favorable pharmacokinetics profiles. The docking analysis outcome indicates that nine (9) compounds exhibited binding energies ranging from −11.314 to −8.365 kcal/mol which is higher than the control (PLM) with a binding energy of −8.131 kcal/mol. It is observed that many of the compounds interacted with the target using hydrophobic interaction and only a few added hydrogen bonds and salt bridges. This research has shown a potential of the aerial part of Melissa officinalis vegetable for drug development to inhibit the synthesis of aflatoxins from Aspergillus flavus. The study has showcased good scientific information for the development of natural products for the prevention and treatment of aflatoxin contamination in agricultural products.

Synthesis, in silico, and in vitro evaluation of 7-chloro-quinolines designed as myeloperoxidase inhibitors

Given the central role of the myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme in inflammation, MPO inhibition is recognized as a promising pharmacological strategy for managing inflammatory-related diseases. This study describes the synthesis, as well as the in silico and in vitro evaluation, of a series of 7‑chloro-quinolines designed as novel MPO inhibitors. Among the synthetic analogs, compounds 13k, 13l, and 14 emerged as the most potent enzyme inhibitors. The in silico pharmacokinetic and toxicological assessments of these compounds pointed to their drug-likeness and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles but raised some concerns about their potential for toxicity. Additionally, in silico analysis elucidated their binding profiles, which were found to be consistent with prior results for several inhibitors previously described, suggesting that the ability of compounds 13k, 13l, and 14 to inhibit MPO mainly arises from interactions with catalytic triad residues. Furthermore, molecular dynamics indicated that compound 14, the most potent MPO inhibitor, consistently maintained close interactions within the active site during the simulations, thereby reaffirming complex stability. This study led to the identification of a novel chemical class of 7‑chloro-quinoline MPO inhibitors, highlighting the potential of derivatives 13k, 13l, and 14 as promising candidates for future in vitro and in vivo studies investigating their safety and anti-inflammatory activities.

Abstract PO2-27-01: TFX06, a next-generation oral CERAN/SERD, shows favorable safety and PK profile, extracranial and intracranial efficacy in patients with ER+/HER2- breast cancer: Preliminary results from a phase 1/2 first-in-human trial

Abstract Aims: TFX06 is an investigational oral complete estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist (CERAN) and selective ER degrader (SERD) (Wu J, et al., 2023 AACR annual meeting). A Phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label dose-escalation and dose-expansion study (CTR20230789) was initiated in China to evaluate TFX06 in previously heavily treated patients with ER+/HER2- locally advanced and/or metastatic breast cancer. The primary objectives were to assess safety and tolerability, recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D), and pharmacokinetics (PK). Methods: A 3+3 dose-escalation design was implemented. TFX06 tablets were orally administered at 60 mg/100 mg daily for 28 days of treatment cycle until disease progression or intolerant to TFX06. As of the cut-off date (Sept. 15, 2023), the Phase 1 study enrolled five patients with Stage IV diseases with distant metastases. Three were treated with TFX06 at 60 mg, the starting dose and two at the next dose level of 100 mg. Median age of patients were 50 years (39-65) with a ECOG score of 0-1. Two out of five patients carried estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) mutations (ctDNA). Prior anticancer treatments included one or two lines of endocrine therapies, including fulvestrant, and/or one or two lines of chemotherapies. Clinical responses by investigator according to RECIST v1.1 were performed every two cycles to explore preliminary efficacy. Results: Three patients in 60 mg and one in 100 mg dose cohorts completed dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) observation period. No DLT observed. All treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) were grade 1-2 in severity, including nausea, drowsiness, decreases in WBC and neutrophils, and anemia. Analyses of plasma concentrations of TFX06 in all three patients receiving 60 mg revealed a similar PK profile with small variations in Cmax. The average steady-state Cmax and Cmin of TFX06 were 101 ng/mL and 65 ng/mL, respectively, and the Cmax of TFX06 was approximately 4-fold higher than that of fulvestrant administered intramuscularly at 500 mg in clinic (28 ng/mL). Two patients in the 60 mg cohort were evaluable for response assessment. One patient discontinued due to progressive disease (PD) after two cycles of treatment. This patient experienced a 17.1% decrease in target lesions in the lung; however, new metastases to bone observed. The other patient who carried ESR1 D538G mutation showed a decrease of 91% in ESR1 mutation burden 8 days after treatment, and a decrease of 34.2% in target lesions (partial response, PR), including a substantial shrinkage of 78.6% in the brain lesion (target lesion), as well as complete responses (CR) of non-target lesions in lung after 4 cycles of treatment. This patient remains on the study as of the cut-off date. Conclusions: Based on the preliminary results, oral administration of TFX06 at 60 or 100 mg once daily had favorable safety and PK profiles. TRAEs, such as gastrointestinal toxicities, bradycardia, and visual disturbances were not observed. Pleasingly, TFX06 demonstrated early extracranial and intracranial antitumor activity (PR) in a patient with a brain metastasis. Citation Format: Zhaojian Fu, Zhiye Zhang, Jia Song, Yang Chen, Douglas Fang, Wei Sha, Jian Zhang, Charles Ding. TFX06, a next-generation oral CERAN/SERD, shows favorable safety and PK profile, extracranial and intracranial efficacy in patients with ER+/HER2- breast cancer: Preliminary results from a phase 1/2 first-in-human trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-27-01.

Pharmacokinetic and Environmental Risk Assessment of Prime-2-CoV, a Non-Replicating Orf Virus-Based Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.

Viral vector vaccines represent a substantial advancement in immunization technology, offering numerous benefits over traditional vaccine modalities. The Orf virus (ORFV) strain D1701-VrV is a particularly promising candidate for vaccine development due to its distinctive attributes, such as a good safety profile, the ability to elicit both humoral and cellular immunity, and its favorable genetic and thermal stability. Despite ORFV's theoretical safety advantages, such as its narrow host range and limited systemic spread post-inoculation, a critical gap persists between these theoretical benefits and the empirical evidence regarding its in vivo safety profile. This discrepancy underscores the need for comprehensive preclinical validations to bridge this knowledge gap, especially considering ORFV's use in humans. Our research introduces Prime-2-CoV, an innovative ORFV-based vaccine candidate against COVID-19, designed to elicit a robust immune response by expressing SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid and Spike proteins. Currently under clinical trials, Prime-2-CoV marks the inaugural application of ORFV in human subjects. Addressing the aforementioned safety concerns, our extensive preclinical evaluation, including an environmental risk assessment (ERA) and detailed pharmacokinetic studies in rats and immunocompromised NOG mice, demonstrates Prime-2-CoV's favorable pharmacokinetic profile, negligible environmental impact, and minimal ERA risks. These findings not only affirm the vaccine's safety and efficacy but also pioneer the use of ORFV-based therapeutics, highlighting its potential for wider therapeutic applications.

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Safety, and Tolerability of Oral AL01211 in Healthy Chinese Volunteers.

Aberrant accumulation of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in the lysosome leads to GSL storage diseases. Glucosylceramide synthase inhibitors (GCSi) have the potential to treat several GSL storage diseases by reducing the synthesis of the disease-causing GSLs. AL01211 is a potent oral GCSi under investigation for Type 1 Gaucher disease and Fabry disease. Here, we evaluate the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability of AL01211 in healthy Chinese volunteers. AL01211 was tested in a Phase 1, single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with single-dose (15 and 60 mg) and multiple-dose (30 mg) arms. Results of AL01211 demonstrated dose-dependent pharmacokinetics, rapid absorption (median time to maximum plasma concentration [tmax] 2.5-4 hours), relatively slow clearance rate (mean apparent total clearance from plasma [CL/F] 88.3-200 L/h) and the mean terminal half-life above 30 hours. Repeated once-daily oral administration of AL01211 for 14 days had an approximately 2-fold accumulation, reaching steady-state levels between 7 and 10 days, and led to a 73% reduction in plasma glucosylceramide (GL1) on Day 14. AL01211 was safe and well tolerated, with no identified serious adverse events. AL01211 showed a favorable pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability profile in healthy Chinese volunteers. These data support the further clinical development of AL01211 as a therapy for GSL storage diseases. Clinical Trial Registry no. CTR20221202 ( http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn ) registered on 6 June 2022 and ChiCTR2200061431 ( http://www.chictr.org.cn ) registered on 24 June 2022.

Abstract PO3-18-06: First-in-human phase 1A study of RGT-419B, a next generation CDK4 inhibitor, in patients (pts) with hormone receptor positive (HR+) HER2- advanced/metastatic breast cancer (ABC) who progressed on prior CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i)

Abstract Introduction: RGT-419B is a novel next generation CDK inhibitor. It has high potency against CDK4 with additional activity against CDK2 and selectivity against CDK6 to overcome resistance and reduce hematologic toxicity. In addition to anti-cancer activity in preclinical breast cancer models that are resistant to approved CDK4/6 inhibitors, we report the interim data from the first-in-human, multicenter trial of RGT-419B as a single agent in post-menopausal pts with HR+ HER2- ABC. Methods: Eligible pts received ≥2 lines of treatment and progressed on endocrine therapy (ET) and at least 1 line of an FDA approved CDK4/6i. Prior treatments of fulvestrant, other targeted agents and/or chemotherapy were allowed. Dose escalation of RGT-419B as oral (PO) monotherapy was administered in continuous 28-day cycles in 4 cohorts (25, 75,150 mg QD and 150 mg BID). A standard 3+3 design was employed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/recommended dose for expansion (RDE). The primary objective was to assess safety and tolerability. The secondary objectives included pharmacokinetic (PK) assessment and exploratory efficacy. Results: At time of abstract submission, 12 eligible post-menopausal pts with HR+/HER2- ABC received RGT-419B. The median age was 64.8y (range 50-80y). All had prior palbociclib + ET (2 pts had abemaciclib or ribociclib after palbociclib); a majority received fulvestrant (67%) and prior chemotherapy (50%). Across the 4 cohorts (12 pts), the most observed treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs; all causality) with RGT-419B were nausea, reduced white blood cell counts (neutrophils and/or lymphocytes) and diarrhea. At data cutoff on June 30th 2023, there have been no CTCAE Grade 3 or higher treatment related AE (TRAEs). No ocular toxicity has been observed. No pts have discontinued treatment due to RGT-419B toxicity. Preliminary PK analyses for RGT-419B showed a dose-dependent increase of exposure at steady state with long half-life. Tumor assessments (RECIST v1.1) of pts in the first 3 cohorts treated with RGT-419B monotherapy (25-150 mg QD) showed partial responses in 2 pts (7 pts with measurable disease), 28.6% partial response (PR) (RECIST v. 1.1) and clinical benefit rate (CBR) 44%. Updated safety, PK and efficacy data will be presented. Conclusions: RGT-419B, with potent selective CDK4 activity, CDK2 activity and CDK6 selectivity, demonstrated a favorable safety and PK profile in an ongoing phase I study, with no grade 3 or higher TRAEs observed thus far. RGT-419B administered as once daily monotherapy also demonstrated preliminary evidence of efficacy as well. Dose expansions of RGT-419B as a single agent and in combination with ET in pts with HR+/HER2- ABC following prior CDK4/6i progression are planned. Citation Format: Seth Wander, Dave Valacer, Richard Zuniga, Heather Yeckes-Rodin, Christopher Perkins, Lisa Ge, Lili Yao, Jing Lin, Dawn Begley, Feifei Sun, Andie Zheng, Jing Han, Zhi (Julie) Xie, Aditya Bardia, Kevin Kalinsky. First-in-human phase 1A study of RGT-419B, a next generation CDK4 inhibitor, in patients (pts) with hormone receptor positive (HR+) HER2- advanced/metastatic breast cancer (ABC) who progressed on prior CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-18-06.

In silico Analysis of 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles as Potential BCL-2 Inhibitor for Cancer Treatment

The possible efficacy of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles as B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitors for cancer treatment is investigated in this study using in silico approaches such as molecular docking, ADME and toxicity prediction. Molecular docking studies predict the binding affinities and binding modes of a series of 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives with the BCL-2 protein. The results revealed that the compounds with strong interactions and favourable binding modes, indicating their potential as BCL-2 inhibitors. An ADMET analysis assesses the pharmacokinetic properties and potential toxicity of the identified compounds. Parameters such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) were evaluated to predict the suitability of these 1,3,4-oxadiazoles as drug candidates for cancer therapy. The integration of molecular docking and ADMET analysis data led to the identification and prioritization of lead compounds with potent BCL-2 inhibitory activity and favourable pharmacokinetic profiles. This research contributes to the on-going efforts in drug discovery, emphasizing the potential of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles as a class of compounds with significant anticancer properties through BCL-2 inhibition.

Impact of LS Mutation on Pharmacokinetics of Preventive HIV Broadly Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies: A Cross-Protocol Analysis of 16 Clinical Trials in People without HIV.

Monoclonal antibodies are commonly engineered with an introduction of Met428Leu and Asn434Ser, known as the LS mutation, in the fragment crystallizable region to improve pharmacokinetic profiles. The LS mutation delays antibody clearance by enhancing binding affinity to the neonatal fragment crystallizable receptor found on endothelial cells. To characterize the LS mutation for monoclonal antibodies targeting HIV, we compared pharmacokinetic parameters between parental versus LS variants for five pairs of anti-HIV immunoglobin G1 monoclonal antibodies (VRC01/LS/VRC07-523LS, 3BNC117/LS, PGDM1400/LS PGT121/LS, 10-1074/LS), analyzing data from 16 clinical trials of 583 participants without HIV. We described serum concentrations of these monoclonal antibodies following intravenous or subcutaneous administration by an open two-compartment disposition, with first-order elimination from the central compartment using non-linear mixed effects pharmacokinetic models. We compared estimated pharmacokinetic parameters using the targeted maximum likelihood estimation method, accounting for participant differences. We observed lower clearance rate, central volume, and peripheral volume of distribution for all LS variants compared to parental monoclonal antibodies. LS monoclonal antibodies showed several improvements in pharmacokinetic parameters, including increases in the elimination half-life by 2.7- to 4.1-fold, the dose-normalized area-under-the-curve by 4.1- to 9.5-fold, and the predicted concentration at 4 weeks post-administration by 3.4- to 7.6-fold. Results suggest a favorable pharmacokinetic profile of LS variants regardless of HIV epitope specificity. Insights support lower dosages and/or less frequent dosing of LS variants to achieve similar levels of antibody exposure in future clinical applications.

Suprachoroidal Drug Delivery for Macular Edema Associated With Noninfectious Uveitis

Purpose: To evaluate clinical trials in the literature that focus on suprachoroidal drug delivery for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis and other posterior segment diseases. Methods: A synthesis of the literature was performed. Results: In 2021, suprachoroidal space triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid delivery system used for the treatment of uveitic macular edema (ME), was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The drug delivery system targets the suprachoroidal space using a microneedle-based device and has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile. Suprachoroidally administered investigational therapies have also been assessed in clinical trials for other posterior segment diseases, including diabetic ME, retinal vein occlusion, age-related macular degeneration, and choroidal melanoma. Conclusions: The safety and efficacy of suprachoroidal corticosteroid injections to treat uveitic ME have been shown in recent phase III clinical trials. Multiple programs are also investigating this modality of drug delivery for use in many other retinal and choroidal pathologies.

Design, Synthesis, Formulation, and Bioevaluation of Trisubstituted Triazines as Highly Selective mTOR Inhibitors for the Treatment of Human Breast Cancer.

The aberrant activation of the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway is implicated in various human cancers. Thus, the development of inhibitors targeting mTOR has attracted considerable attention. In this study, we used a structure-based drug design strategy to discover a highly potent and kinase-selective mTOR inhibitor 24 (PT-88), which demonstrated an mTOR inhibitory IC50 value of 1.2 nM without obvious inhibition against another 195 kinases from the kinase profiling screening. PT-88 displayed selective inhibition against MCF-7 cells (IC50: 0.74 μM) with high biosafety against normal cells, in which autophagy induced by mTOR inhibition was implicated. After successful encapsulation in a lipodisc formulation, PT-88 demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetic and biosafety profiles and exerted a large antitumor effect in an MCF-7 subcutaneous bearing nude mice model. Our study shows the discovery of a highly selective mTOR inhibitor using a structure-based drug discovery strategy and provides a promising antitumor candidate for future study and development.

Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Oral BI 1358894 in Healthy Japanese Male Volunteers.

Male HVs were randomized to receive oral BI 1358894 (n = 18) or placebo (n = 6) after a high-fat, high-calorie meal within three dose groups (50mg, 100mg, 200mg), administered sequentially in dose-ascending order. The primary endpoint was number of HVs with drug-related adverse events (DRAEs). Secondary endpoints were the pharmacokinetic parameters of BI 1358894. Overall, 24 male HVs entered the trial [mean (standard deviation) age: 30.0 (7.6) years]. DRAEs occurred in 3/18 HVs (BI 1358894 100 mg group: one HV experienced dizziness and headache; BI 1358894 200 mg group: one HV experienced headache, another reported sleep disorder). BI 1358894 exposure increased dose dependently and proportionally, peaking 4-6h after administration before declining in a multiphasic manner with a terminal elimination half-life of ~70h in the 50 mg and 100 mg dose groups, and 203 h in the 200 mg dose group. BI 1358894 was well tolerated with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile in Japanese male HVs, similar to findings from a previous study in Caucasian male HVs. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03875001; 08-Mar-2019).

The Class I Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor as a Potent Therapeutic Target for Treating Glioblastoma and Mocetinostat as a Novel Inhibitor in the Induction Death of Cancer Cells

Epigenetic abnormality is one of the hallmarks of glioblastoma cancer cells. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) modification has a crucial role in epigenetic abnormality, which results in the initiation and progression of glioblastoma cancer cells. The selective HDAC inhibitors are well-known epigenetic regulators and promising anti-cancer agents that target specific HDAC enzymes and inhibit the proliferation of many cancer cells. Selective HDAC inhibitors isoform provides a high efficacy as chemotherapy in inhibiting cancer confirmation compared to non-selective HDAC inhibitors. Additionally, selective HDAC inhibitors suppress Class -I HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and HDAC11. HDAC class I inhibitors induce apoptosis, differentiation, autophagic death cells, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)- induced cell death, inhibit cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in cancer cells, while the normal cells showed more resistance to HDAC class I inhibitors. Mocetinostat (MGCD0103), a benzamide histone deacetylase, is a potent anti-cancer therapy for the treatment of several cancer cell lines and induction of autophagy. It has been approved by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cell lines. MGCD0103 is a synthesized and selective HDAC inhibitor that has vigorous inhibitory activity against Class-I and IV HDAC. MGCD0103 is well tolerated and has favorable pharmacokinetic properties, pharmacodynamic profile, and fast absorption within 1 hour after oral administration, long elimination half-life, and sustained HDAC inhibition. Therefore, MGCD0103 is expected to be a promising anti-cancer drug for treating several types of human cancer cells. Keywords: MGCD0103; Apoptosis; Differentiation; Gliblastoma; HDAC; inhibitors.

Discovery of Sovleplenib, a Selective Inhibitor of Syk in Clinical Development for Autoimmune Diseases and Cancers.

Herein we describe the medicinal chemistry efforts that led to the discovery of the clinical-staged Syk inhibitor sovleplenib (41) via a structure-activity relationship investigation and pharmacokinetics (PK) optimization of a pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine scaffold. Sovleplenib is a potent and selective Syk inhibitor with favorable preclinical PK profiles and robust anti-inflammation efficacy in a preclinical collagen-induced arthritis model. Sovleplenib is now being developed for treating autoimmune diseases such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura and warm antibody hemolytic anemia as well as hematological malignancies.

In silico rationalization of piperidin-4-one analogs as anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors: Integration of density functional theory, topological descriptor, molecular docking and pharmacological feature profiling

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) was involved in the development of various cancer types. Although several ALK inhibitors have been advanced to clinical trials, the emergence of drug resistance has limited the clinical application of them. Hence, developing new ALK inhibitors which can overcome resistance is essential. Here, we designed a novel ALK inhibitor Piperidin-4-One based on the structure of the second-generation ALK inhibitor ceritinib. The target compound 1-(cyclopropanecarbonyl)-2,6-bis(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-3-methylpiperidin-4-one (CDMP) was computed using density functional theory (DFT) method. The stability and charge delocalization of the molecule was also studied by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The HOMO-LUMO energies describe the charge transfer takes place within the molecule. Molecular electrostatic potential has been analyzed. The reported molecule used as a potential NLO material since it has high µβ0 value. Additionally, statistical analyses were conducted to clarify the connections between ADMET properties of CDMP and molecular descriptors based on degree, neighborhood degree, degree entropy and neighborhood degree entropy. This thorough examination seeks to uncover the complex interactions between Density Functional Theory and molecular descriptors, offering valuable insights into the relationships among CDMP drug properties. The binding mode mechanism of the title compound was investigated through molecular docking studies, focusing on cancer-related proteins such as 4TT7, 5FTO and 3AOX. Furthermore, an assessment of Drug-likeness and ADMET properties revealed favorable pharmacokinetic profiles for the compound, with no indications of toxicity observed.

Novel antifungals and treatment approaches to tackle resistance and improve outcomes of invasive fungal disease.

SUMMARYFungal infections are on the rise, driven by a growing population at risk and climate change. Currently available antifungals include only five classes, and their utility and efficacy in antifungal treatment are limited by one or more of innate or acquired resistance in some fungi, poor penetration into "sequestered" sites, and agent-specific side effect which require frequent patient reassessment and monitoring. Agents with novel mechanisms, favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles including good oral bioavailability, and fungicidal mechanism(s) are urgently needed. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of novel antifungal agents, with both improved known mechanisms of actions and new antifungal classes, currently in clinical development for treating invasive yeast, mold (filamentous fungi), Pneumocystis jirovecii infections, and dimorphic fungi (endemic mycoses). We further focus on inhaled antifungals and the role of immunotherapy in tackling fungal infections, and the specific PK/pharmacodynamic profiles, tissue distributions as well as drug-drug interactions of novel antifungals. Finally, we review antifungal resistance mechanisms, the role of use of antifungal pesticides in agriculture as drivers of drug resistance, and detail detection methods for antifungal resistance.

Abstract LB298: Simultaneous reprogramming of glioblastoma tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages by tumor-suppressive microRNA

Abstract Therapeutic outcomes in glioblastoma (GBM) patients remain dismal due to its resistance to conventional therapies. Tumor-supportive tumor microenvironment (TME) that is educated by tumor cells through immune editing is not properly primed for the treatment. Targeted reprogramming of both tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is expected to prime the tumor cells and the immunosuppressive TME. Tumor suppressive microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as the most suitable therapeutic target to perform the tumor reprogramming role. We recently identified miR-138 as a putative tumor suppressive miRNA that can reprogram GBM tumor. However, achieving the simultaneous targeted reprogramming of two distinct cell types is a complex challenge, demanding a selective delivery system to minimize adverse side effects. Previously, we demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) can serve as carriers for the selective delivery of small noncoding therapeutic RNAs into cancer cells through the EV surface labeling with cancer-targeting ligands. Here, we report that the trypsin digestion of EV surface can enhance their surface labeling efficiency with cancer targeting ligands, such as folate, with favorable bio-distribution and pharmacokinetic profiles in GBM mice model. The folate-labeled trypsinized EVs demonstrated a potential to selectively target folate receptor (FR) positive GBM cells and TAMs both in vitro and in vivo. The selective targeting of folate-labeled trypsinized EVs led to the targeted delivery of miR-138 into both GBM tumor cells and TAMs, achieving anti-tumor efficacy. Mechanism of action studies revealed that the ectopically delivered miR-138 inhibits its previously identified known target genes to reprogram tumor cell proliferation and macrophage polarization. To our knowledge, this is the first preclinical study attempting to simultaneously modulate tumor cells and innate immunity by delivering tumor suppressive miR-138 using the trypsinized EV-based RNA delivery system for the GBM treatment. Our study results can be rapidly translated into human clinical trials in combination with current immunotherapies. Citation Format: Grace Nguyen, MinHye Noh, Yulin Dai, Zhongming Zhao, Ji Young Yoo, Tae Jin Lee. Simultaneous reprogramming of glioblastoma tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages by tumor-suppressive microRNA [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB298.