1. Academic Validation
  2. Discovery, Optimization, and Biological Evaluation of Arylpyridones as Cbl-b Inhibitors

Discovery, Optimization, and Biological Evaluation of Arylpyridones as Cbl-b Inhibitors

  • J Med Chem. 2024 Jan 25;67(2):1500-1512. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02083.
Adelphe M Mfuh 1 Jeffrey A Boerth 1 Gayathri Bommakanti 2 Christina Chan 3 Alex J Chinn 1 Erin Code 2 Patrick J Fricke 1 Kathryn A Giblin 3 Andrea Gohlke 4 Catherine Hansel 4 Niresh Hariparsad 1 Samantha J Hughes 3 Meizhong Jin 1 Vasudev Kantae 4 Stefan L Kavanagh 4 Michelle L Lamb 1 Jordan Lane 4 Rachel Moore 4 Taranee Puri 1 Taylor R Quinn 1 Iswarya Reddy 2 Graeme R Robb 3 Kevin J Robbins 1 Miguel Gancedo Rodrigo 4 5 Marianne Schimpl 3 Baljinder Singh 1 Meha Singh 1 Haoran Tang 4 Clare Thomson 3 Jarrod J Walsh 4 Jamie Ware 4 Iain D G Watson 1 Min-Wei Ye 2 Gail L Wrigley 3 Andrew X Zhang 2 Yun Zhang 1 Neil P Grimster 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States.
  • 2 Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States.
  • 3 Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K.
  • 4 Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K.
  • 5 Isomorphic Laboratories, 280 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4RB, U.K.
Abstract

Casitas B-lymphoma proto-oncogene-b (Cbl-b), a member of the Cbl family of RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligases, has been demonstrated to play a central role in regulating effector T-cell function. Multiple studies using gene-targeting approaches have provided direct evidence that Cbl-b negatively regulates T, B, and NK cell activation via a ubiquitin-mediated protein modulation. Thus, inhibition of Cbl-b Ligase activity can lead to immune activation and has therapeutic potential in immuno-oncology. Herein, we describe the discovery and optimization of an arylpyridone series as Cbl-b inhibitors by structure-based drug discovery to afford compound 31. This compound binds to Cbl-b with an IC50 value of 30 nM and induces IL-2 production in T-cells with an EC50 value of 230 nM. Compound 31 also shows robust intracellular target engagement demonstrated through inhibition of Cbl-b autoubiquitination, inhibition of ubiquitin transfer to ZAP70, and the cellular modulation of phosphorylation of a downstream signal within the TCR axis.

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