Ebselen oxide and derivatives are new allosteric HER2 inhibitors for HER2-positive cancers

Selenization of Small Molecule Drugs: A New Player on the Board

There is an urgent need to develop safer and more effective modalities for the treatment of a wide range of pathologies due to the increasing rates of drug resistance, undesired side effects, poor clinical outcomes, etc. Throughout the years, selenium (Se) has attracted a great deal of attention due to its important role in human health. Besides, a growing body of work has unveiled that the inclusion of Se motifs into a great number of molecules is a promising strategy for obtaining novel therapeutic agents. In the current Perspective, we have gathered the most recent literature related to the incorporation of different Se moieties into the scaffolds of a wide range of known drugs and their feasible pharmaceutical applications. In addition, we highlight different representative examples as well as provide our perspective on Se drugs and the possible future directions, promises, opportunities, and challenges of this ground-breaking area of research.

Computational insights into overcoming resistance mechanisms in targeted therapies for advanced breast cancer: focus on EGFR and HER2 co-inhibition

In the present study, the formation of a heterodimer involving both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) has been explored as a potential therapeutic mechanism to inhibit the progression of breast cancer. Virtual screening using molecular docking resulted in the three hit compounds (ZINC08382411, ZINC08382438, and ZINC08382292) with minimum binding scores and commonly binding to both receptors. Further, MD simulation analysis of these complexes illustrated the high stability of these compounds with EGFR and HER2. RMSD showed that ZINC08382411 displayed the most stable RMSD of 2 - 3 Å when bound to both receptors, suggesting to have strong compatibility with the active site of the receptor. Hydrogen bond analysis showed that ZINC08382411 forms the maximum number of H-bonds (2 to 3) in both EGFR and HER2 bound complexes, with the highest occupancy of 62% and 79%, respectively. Binding free energy calculation showed that ZINC08382411 possesses maximum affinity towards both the receptors with ΔGbind = -129.628 and -164.063 kJ/mol, respectively. This approach recognizes the significance of EGFR and HER2 in breast cancer development and aims to disrupt their collaborative signaling, which is known to promote the antagonistic behavior of cancer cells. By focusing on this EGFR/HER2 heterodimer, the study offers a promising avenue for identifying a potential candidate (ZINC08382411) that may inhibit breast cancer cell growth and potentially improve patient outcomes. The study's findings may contribute to the ongoing efforts to advance breast cancer treatment strategies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.