1
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Peng J, Ding X, Shih PY, Meng Q, Ding X, Zhang M, Aliper A, Ren F, Lu H, Zhavoronkov A. Discovery of 1(2H)-phthalazinone and 1(2H)-isoquinolinone derivatives as potent hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 279:116877. [PMID: 39303515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been a revelation for treating several cancers, an unmet need remains to broaden ICI therapeutic scope and increase their response rates in clinical trials. Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a negative regulator of T cell activation and has previously been identified as a promising target for immunotherapy. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of HPK1 inhibitors with novel 1(2H)-phthalazinone and 1(2H)-isoquinolinone scaffolds. Among them, compound 24 demonstrated potent in vitro activity (HPK1 IC50 value of 10.4 nM) and cellular activity (pSLP76 EC50 = 41 nM & IL-2 EC50 = 108 nM). Compound 24 exhibited favorable mouse and rat pharmacokinetic profiles with reasonable oral exposure. Compound 24 showed potent in vivo anti-tumor activity in a CT26 syngeneic tumor model with 95 % tumor growth inhibition in combination with anti-PD-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Peng
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ding
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Pei-Yu Shih
- Insilico Medicine Taiwan Ltd, Suite 1303, No. 333, Sec. 1, Keelung Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
| | - Qingyuan Meng
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiao Ding
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Man Zhang
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Alex Aliper
- Insilico Medicine AI Limited, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi 145748, United Arab Emirates
| | - Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Hongfu Lu
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 201203, China; Insilico Medicine AI Limited, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi 145748, United Arab Emirates.
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2
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Chen L, Zhang B, Zhou P, Duan Y, He C, Zhong W, Wang T, Xu S, Chen J, Yao H, Xu J. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel HPK1 inhibitors possessing 3-cyano-quinoline moiety. Bioorg Chem 2024; 153:107814. [PMID: 39299176 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Revised: 08/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a negative regulator of T cell receptor signaling, plays a crucial role in multiple cellular immune responses. Emerging researches have demonstrated that inhibiting HPK1 kinase function enhances T cells' ability to recognize tumor antigens and boosts anti-tumor immune responses. As a result, HPK1 has become a promising target for tumor immunotherapy. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of novel HPK1 inhibitors featuring a 3-cyano-quinoline scaffold. Among these, compound 3a was identified as the most potent HPK1 inhibitor (HPK1 IC50 = 48 nM). It effectively inhibited SLP76 phosphorylation, enhanced IL-2 cytokine secretion, and reversed PGE2-induced immunosuppression in Jurkat cells. In addition, compound 3a exhibited favorable metabolic stability in mouse liver microsomes and plasma. Overall, this work provides a structurally novel lead compound for the development of HPK1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Baixue Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Pijun Zhou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Yiping Duan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Chen He
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Wenyi Zhong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Tianyi Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Shengtao Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Jichao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China.
| | - Hong Yao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
| | - Jinyi Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
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3
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Tellis JC, Wei B, Siu M, An L, Chan GK, Chen Y, Du X, Gazzard L, Hu B, Kiefer J, Kakiuchi-Kiyota S, Lainchbury M, Linehan JL, Luo X, Malhotra S, Mendonca R, Pang J, Ran Y, Sethuraman V, Seward E, Sneeringer C, Su D, Wang W, Wu P, Moffat JG, Heffron TP, Choo EF, Chan BK. Discovery of GNE-6893, a Potent, Selective, Orally Bioavailable Small Molecule Inhibitor of HPK1. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:1606-1614. [PMID: 39291002 PMCID: PMC11403726 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) serves a key immunosuppressive role as a negative regulator of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling. HPK1 loss-of-function is associated with augmentation of immune function and has demonstrated synergy with immune checkpoint inhibitors in syngeneic mouse cancer models. These data offer compelling evidence for the use of selective small molecule inhibitors of HPK1 in cancer immunotherapy. We identified a novel series of isoquinoline HPK1 inhibitors through fragment-based screening that displayed promising levels of biochemical potency and activity in functional cell-based assays. We used structure-based drug design to introduce key selectivity elements while simultaneously addressing pharmacokinetic liabilities. These efforts culminated in a molecule demonstrating subnanomolar biochemical inhibition of HPK1 and strong in vitro augmentation of TCR signaling in primary human T-cells. Further profiling of this molecule revealed excellent kinase selectivity (347/356 kinases <50% inhibition @ 0.1 μM), a favorable in vitro safety profile, and good projected human pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Tellis
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - BinQing Wei
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Michael Siu
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Le An
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Grace Kayan Chan
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Yong Chen
- Pharmaron Beijing Co., No. 6 Tai He Road, BDA, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Xiangnan Du
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Lewis Gazzard
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Baihua Hu
- Pharmaron Beijing Co., No. 6 Tai He Road, BDA, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - James Kiefer
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | | | - Michael Lainchbury
- Charles River Laboratories, 8-9 Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan L Linehan
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Xifeng Luo
- Pharmaron Beijing Co., No. 6 Tai He Road, BDA, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Sushant Malhotra
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Rohan Mendonca
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Jodie Pang
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Yinqing Ran
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Vijay Sethuraman
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Eileen Seward
- Charles River Laboratories, 8-9 Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Sneeringer
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Dian Su
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Weiru Wang
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Ping Wu
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - John G Moffat
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Timothy P Heffron
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Edna F Choo
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Bryan K Chan
- Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
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4
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Wu M, Wu Y, Jin Y, Mao X, Zeng S, Yu H, Zhang J, Jin Y, Wu Y, Xu T, Chen Y, Wang Y, Yao X, Che J, Huang W, Dong X. Discovery of an Exceptionally Orally Bioavailable and Potent HPK1 PROTAC with Enhancement of Antitumor Efficacy of Anti-PD-L1 Therapy. J Med Chem 2024; 67:13852-13878. [PMID: 39084610 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
HPK1, a well-known negative regulator of T cell receptors, can cause T cell dysfunction when abnormally activated. In this study, a PROTAC C3 was designed and synthesized by optimizing the physicochemical properties of the warhead, linker, and CRBN ligand. C3 demonstrated significant HPK1 degradation with a DC50 of 21.26 nM, excellent oral absorption with a Cmax of 10,899.92 ng/mL, and a bioavailability (F %) of 81.7%. C3 also showed degradation selectivity and potent immune activation effects. Proteomic and WB analyses revealed that immune-activating effect of C3 is attributed to the inhibition of SLP76 and NF-κB signaling pathways, as well as the enhancement of MAPK signaling pathway transduction. In vivo efficacy study demonstrated that oral administration of C3 in combination with anti-PDL1 antibody significantly inhibited tumor growth (tumor growth inhibition = 65.58%). These findings suggest that C3, a novel HPK1 PROTAC, holds promise as a therapeutic agent for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfei Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yiquan Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuyuan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Xinfei Mao
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Shenxin Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Hengyuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuheng Jin
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yizhe Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Tengfei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macau 999078, P. R. China
| | - Jinxin Che
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Wenhai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, P. R. China
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5
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Ahn MJ, Kim EH, Choi Y, Chae CH, Kim P, Kim SH. Novel hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 inhibitor KHK-6 enhances T-cell activation. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305261. [PMID: 38923962 PMCID: PMC11207149 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibiting the functional role of negative regulators in immune cells is an effective approach for developing immunotherapies. The serine/threonine kinase hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) involved in the T-cell receptor signaling pathway attenuates T-cell activation by inducing the degradation of SLP-76 through its phosphorylation at Ser-376, reducing the immune response. Interestingly, several studies have shown that the genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of HPK1 kinase activity improves the immune response to cancers by enhancing T-cell activation and cytokine production; therefore, HPK1 could be a promising druggable target for T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy. To increase the immune response against cancer cells, we designed and synthesized KHK-6 and evaluated its cellular activity to inhibit HPK1 and enhance T-cell activation. KHK-6 inhibited HPK1 kinase activity with an IC50 value of 20 nM and CD3/CD28-induced phosphorylation of SLP-76 at Ser-376 Moreover, KHK-6 significantly enhanced CD3/CD28-induced production of cytokines; proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that expressed CD69, CD25, and HLA-DR markers; and T-cell-mediated killing activity of SKOV3 and A549 cells. In conclusion, KHK-6 is a novel ATP-competitive HPK1 inhibitor that blocks the phosphorylation of HPK1 downstream of SLP-76, enhancing the functional activation of T cells. In summary, our study showed the usefulness of KHK-6 in the drug discovery for the HPK1-inhibiting immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jeong Ahn
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Hye Kim
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunha Choi
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chong Hak Chae
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Pilho Kim
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Hwan Kim
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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6
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Fu S, Wei J, Li C, Zhang N, Yue H, Yang A, Xu J, Dong K, Xing Y, Tong M, Shi X, Xi Z, Wang H, Hou Y, Zhao Y. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 2,4-diaminopyrimidine derivatives as potent Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2024; 148:107454. [PMID: 38795581 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
HPK1 also referred to as MAP4K1, belongs to the category of mammalian STE20-like protein serine/threonine kinases. Its physiological function involves the down-regulation of T cell signals, and it is regarded as a new immune checkpoint of tumor immunology. In this study, we commenced our investigation with the hit compounds, focusing the efforts on structural optimization and SAR exploration to identify a novel class of 2,4-diaminopyrimidine HPK1 inhibitors. Notably, compound 14g exhibited a remarkable inhibitory effect on HPK1 kinase (IC50 = 0.15 nM), significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of the downstream adaptor protein SLP76 (pSLP76 IC50 = 27.92 nM), and effectively stimulated the secretion of the T cell activation marker IL-2 (EC50 = 46.64 nM). In vitro microsomal stability assay, compound 14g showed moderate stability in HLMs with T1/2 = 38.2 min and CLint = 36.4 µL·min-1·mg-1 proteins. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies, compound 14g demonstrated heightened plasma exposure (AUC0-inf = 644 ng·h·mL-1), extended half-life (T1/2 = 9.98 h), and reduced plasma clearance (CL = 52.3 mL·min-1·kg-1) compared to the reference compound after a single intravenous dose of 2 mg/kg in rats. These results indicated that compound 14g emerged as a promising inhibitor of HPK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Fu
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Jiakuan Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Chunting Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Na Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Hao Yue
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Ao Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Jichang Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Kuan Dong
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Yongpeng Xing
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Minghui Tong
- 3D BioOptima, 1338 Wuzhong Avenue, Suzhou 215104, China
| | - Xuan Shi
- 3D BioOptima, 1338 Wuzhong Avenue, Suzhou 215104, China
| | - Zhiguo Xi
- 3D BioOptima, 1338 Wuzhong Avenue, Suzhou 215104, China
| | - Han Wang
- 3D BioOptima, 1338 Wuzhong Avenue, Suzhou 215104, China
| | - Yunlei Hou
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.
| | - Yanfang Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.
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7
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Qiu X, Liu R, Ling H, Zhou Y, Ren X, Zhou F, Zhang J, Huang W, Wang Z, Ding K. Discovery of 5-aminopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-one derivatives as new hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 269:116310. [PMID: 38479166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a negative regulator of T-cell receptor signaling. While HPK1 is considered as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy, no small-molecule HPK1 inhibitors have been approved for cancer treatment. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of new HPK1 inhibitors with a 5-aminopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-one scaffold. The most potent compound 9f inhibited HPK1 kinase activity with an IC50 of 0.32 nM in the time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assays, while displayed reasonable selectivity in a panel of 416 kinases. Cellular engagement of HPK1 by compound 9f was confirmed through the nano-bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (Nano-BRET) experiments. Compound 9f effectively reduced the phosphorylation of the downstream protein SLP-76 in primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and human T lymphocytic leukemia Jurkat cells. Compound 9f also enhanced the IL-2 and IFN-γ secretion in PBMCs. Furthermore, the binding mode of compound 9f with HPK1 was confirmed by the resolved cocrystal structure. Taken together, this study provides HPK1 inhibitors with a novel scaffold and clear binding mode for further development of HPK1-targeted therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorong Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310013, China
| | - Rong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Huan Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou, 511400, China
| | - Xiaomei Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Fengtao Zhou
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou, 511400, China
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Weixue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Ke Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #345 Lingling Rd., Shanghai, 200032, China; International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou, 511400, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China.
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8
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Chen H, Guan X, He C, Lu T, Lin X, Liao X. Current strategies for targeting HPK1 in cancer and the barriers to preclinical progress. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2024; 28:237-250. [PMID: 38650383 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2024.2344697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a 97-kDa serine/threonine Ste20-related protein kinase, functions as an intracellular negative regulator, primarily in hematopoietic lineage cells, where it regulates T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, and other immune cells. Loss of HPK1 kinase activity results in exacerbated cytokine secretion, enhanced T cell signaling, improved viral clearance, and thus increased restraint of tumor growth. These findings highlight HPK1 as a promising target for immuno-oncology treatments, culminating in the advancement of candidate compounds targeting HPK1 to clinical trials by several biotech enterprises. AREAS COVERED Through searching PubMed, Espacenet-patent search, and clinicaltrials.gov, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of HPK1, encompassing its structure and roles in various downstream signaling pathways, the consequences of constitutive activation of HPK1, and potential therapeutic strategies to treat HPK1-driven malignancies. Moreover, the review outlines the patents issued for small molecule inhibitors and clinical investigations of HPK1. EXPERT OPINION To enhance the success of tumor immunotherapy in clinical trials, it is important to develop protein degraders, allosteric inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates based on the crystal structure of HPK1, and to explore combination therapy approaches. Although several challenges remain, the development of HPK1 inhibitors display promising in preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangna Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chi He
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Lu
- Zhuhai Yufan Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Xingyu Lin
- Zhuhai Yufan Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Xuebin Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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9
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Feng D, Liu B, Chen Z, Xu J, Geng M, Duan W, Ai J, Zhang H. Discovery of hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 inhibitors using machine learning-based screening and free energy perturbation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38198294 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2301754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a key negative regulator of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling and a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. The development of novel HPK1 inhibitors is challenging yet promising. In this study, we used a combination of machine learning (ML)-based virtual screening and free energy perturbation (FEP) calculations to identify novel HPK1 inhibitors. ML-based screening yielded 10 potent HPK1 inhibitors (IC50 < 1 μM). The FEP-guided modification of the in-house false-positive hit, DW21302, revealed that a single key atom change could trigger activity cliffs. The resulting DW21302-A was a potent HPK1 inhibitor (IC50 = 2.1 nM) and potently inhibited cellular HPK1 signaling and enhanced T-cell function. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and ADME predictions confirmed DW21302-A as candidate compound. This study provides new strategies and chemical scaffolds for HPK1 inhibitor development.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhi Feng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiwei Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meiyu Geng
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Wenhu Duan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Jing Ai
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hefeng Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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10
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Xie C, Liu B, Song Z, Yang Y, Dai M, Gao Y, Yao Y, Ding C, Ai J, Zhang A. Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Isoindoline Analogues as New HPK1 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2023; 66:16201-16221. [PMID: 37990878 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is an important negative regulator in T-cell receptor signaling and as a promising key target for immunotherapy. Herein, based on the reported HPK1 inhibitor 2 featuring an isofuranone component, a structural optimization approach was conducted leading to several series of derivatives characterized by containing an isoindoline structural motif. Compound 49 was identified as a new potent HPK1 inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.9 nM, more potent than compound 2 (5.5 nM). It also has an improved IV profile in rats and enhanced aqueous solubility. It effectively inhibited pSLP76 and reinvigorated T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling, promoting T-cell function and cytokine production both in naïve and antigen-specific T cells. Furthermore, compound 49 reversed the inhibition on T-cell activity mediated by classic immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In the murine CT-26 tumor model, this compound reinvigorated the T cell and synergistically enhanced the antitumor efficacy of anti-PD1 at a well-tolerant dosage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghu Xie
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zilan Song
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ye Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mengdi Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yinglei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yujia Yao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Chunyong Ding
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jing Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ao Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200210, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
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11
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Zhang J, Li Y, Tang H, Zhou Q, Tong L, Ding J, Xie H, Xiong B, Liu T. Design and synthesis of 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives as hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2023; 140:106811. [PMID: 37659145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Despite immune checkpoint inhibitors' tremendous success in the treatment of tumors, the moderate response rate limits their widespread use. Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is served as an essential negative regulator of T-cell receptor, which has been identified as a promising target for enhancing antitumor immunity. However, the development of a selective HPK1 inhibitor is still challenging. Herein, we reported a novel series of 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives as HPK1 inhibitors by structure-based rational design. The optimal compound 10n significantly inhibited HPK1 with an IC50 value of 29.0 nM and the phosphorylation of SLP76 at a concentration as low as 0.1 μM. Furthermore, compound 10n exhibited good selectivity over a panel of 25 kinases, including GLK from the same MAP4K family. Together, the current study provided a novel, potent, and selective HPK1 inhibitor, acting as a lead compound for the future development of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Yan Li
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Haotian Tang
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Qianqian Zhou
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, PR China
| | - Linjiang Tong
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Jian Ding
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, PR China
| | - Hua Xie
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan 528400, PR China.
| | - Bing Xiong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Tongchao Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China.
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12
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Schlicher L, Green LG, Romagnani A, Renner F. Small molecule inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy and associated biomarkers - the current status. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1297175. [PMID: 38022587 PMCID: PMC10644399 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1297175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Following the success of cancer immunotherapy using large molecules against immune checkpoint inhibitors, the concept of using small molecules to interfere with intracellular negative regulators of anti-tumor immune responses has emerged in recent years. The main targets for small molecule drugs currently include enzymes of negative feedback loops in signaling pathways of immune cells and proteins that promote immunosuppressive signals within the tumor microenvironment. In the adaptive immune system, negative regulators of T cell receptor signaling (MAP4K1, DGKα/ζ, CBL-B, PTPN2, PTPN22, SHP1), co-receptor signaling (CBL-B) and cytokine signaling (PTPN2) have been preclinically validated as promising targets and initial clinical trials with small molecule inhibitors are underway. To enhance innate anti-tumor immune responses, inhibitory immunomodulation of cGAS/STING has been in the focus, and inhibitors of ENPP1 and TREX1 have reached the clinic. In addition, immunosuppressive signals via adenosine can be counteracted by CD39 and CD73 inhibition, while suppression via intratumoral immunosuppressive prostaglandin E can be targeted by EP2/EP4 antagonists. Here, we present the status of the most promising small molecule drug candidates for cancer immunotherapy, all residing relatively early in development, and the potential of relevant biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Schlicher
- Cancer Cell Targeted Therapy, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luke G. Green
- Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Romagnani
- Cancer Cell Targeted Therapy, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Florian Renner
- Cancer Cell Targeted Therapy, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland
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13
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Toure M, Johnson T, Li B, Schmidt R, Ma H, Neagu C, Lopez AU, Wang Y, Guler S, Xiao Y, Henkes R, Ho K, Zhang S, Chu CL, Gundra UM, Porichis F, Li L, Maurer CK, Fang Z, Musil D, DiPoto M, Friis E, Jones R, Jones C, Cummings J, Chekler E, Tanzer EM, Huck B, Sherer B. Discovery of quinazoline HPK1 inhibitors with high cellular potency. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 92:117423. [PMID: 37531921 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is regarded as a highly validated target in pre-clinical immune oncology. HPK1 has been described as regulating multiple critical signaling pathway in both adaptive and innate cells. In support of this role, HPK1 KO T cells show enhanced sensitivity to TCR activation and HPK1 KO mice display enhanced anti-tumor activity. Taken together, inhibition of HPK1 has the potential to induce enhanced anti-tumor immune response. Herein, we described the discovery of highly potent HPK1 inhibitors starting form a weak HTS hit. Using a structure-based drug design, HPK1 inhibitors exhibiting excellent cellular single-digit nanomolar potency in both proximal (pSLP76) and distal (IL-2) biomarkers along with sustained elevation of IL-2 cytokine secretion were discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momar Toure
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States.
| | - Theresa Johnson
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Bin Li
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Ralf Schmidt
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Hong Ma
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Constantin Neagu
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Andrea Unzue Lopez
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Yanping Wang
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Satenig Guler
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - YuFang Xiao
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Renate Henkes
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Kevin Ho
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Susan Zhang
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Chia Lin Chu
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Uma Mahesh Gundra
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Filippos Porichis
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Long Li
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Christine Katharina Maurer
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Zhizhou Fang
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Djordje Musil
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Maria DiPoto
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Emily Friis
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Reinaldo Jones
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Christopher Jones
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - James Cummings
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Eugene Chekler
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Eva Maria Tanzer
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Bayard Huck
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
| | - Brian Sherer
- Discovery & Development Technologies, Medicinal Chemistry, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA 01821, United States
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14
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Zhou L, Ye X, Wang K, Shen H, Wang T, Zhang X, Jiang S, Xiao Y, Zhang K. Discovery of diaminotriazine carboxamides as potent inhibitors of hematopoetic progenitor kinase 1. Bioorg Chem 2023; 138:106682. [PMID: 37339563 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a member of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase (MAP4K) family of Ste20 serine/threonine kinases, is a negative regulator of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Inactivating HPK1 kinase has been reported to be sufficient to elicit antitumor immune response. Therefore, HPK1 has attracted much attention as a promising target for tumor immunotherapy. A few of HPK1 inhibitors have been reported, and none of them have been approved for clinical applications. Hence, more effective HPK1 inhibitors are needed. Herein, a series of structurally novel diaminotriazine carboxamides were rationally designed, synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against HPK1 kinase. Most of them exhibited potent inhibitory potency against HPK1 kinase. In particular, compound 15b showed more robust HPK1 inhibitory activity than that of 11d developed by Merck in kinase activity assay (IC50 = 3.1 and 8.2 nM, respectively). The significant inhibitory potency against SLP76 phosphorylation in Jurkat T cells further confirmed the efficacy of compound 15b. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) functional assays, compound 15b more significantly induced the production of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interferon γ (IFN-γ) relative to 11d. Furthermore, 15b alone or in combination with anti-PD-1 antibodies showed potent in vivo antitumor efficacy in MC38 tumor-bearing mice. Compound 15b represents a promising lead for the development of effective HPK1 small-molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiuquan Ye
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kaizhen Wang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hongtao Shen
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Sheng Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yibei Xiao
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Kuojun Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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15
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Wu F, Li H, An Q, Sun Y, Yu J, Cao W, Sun P, Diao X, Meng L, Xu S. Discovery of 7H-Pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine Derivatives as potent hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 254:115355. [PMID: 37062169 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells and is a negative regulator of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Recent studies have demonstrated that HPK1 is a promising therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. However, despite significant progress in the development of HPK1 inhibitors, none of them has been approved for cancer therapy. Development of HPK1 inhibitors with a structurally distinct scaffold is still needed. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of a series of HPK1 inhibitors with a 7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine scaffold, exemplified by 31. Compound 31 showed potent inhibitory activity against HPK1 with an IC50 value of 3.5 nM and favorable selectivity within a panel of kinases. It also potently inhibited the phosphorylation level of SLP76, a substrate of HPK1, and enhanced the IL-2 secretion in Jurkat cells (human T cell leukemia). Our findings provide new clues for further optimization and development to generate HPK1 inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Wu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Science, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Huiyu Li
- Division of Anti-Tumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Science, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qi An
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yaoliang Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jinghua Yu
- Shanghai Center for Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wenting Cao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Pu Sun
- Division of Anti-Tumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xingxing Diao
- Shanghai Center for Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Linghua Meng
- Division of Anti-Tumor Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Science, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Shilin Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Science, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
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16
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Shi H, Tang H, Li Y, Chen D, Liu T, Chen Y, Wang X, Chen L, Wang Y, Xie H, Xiong B. Development of a series of quinazoline-2,5-diamine derivatives as potent hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 248:115064. [PMID: 36621137 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a serine/threonine kinase that serves as the negative regulator of multiple immune signaling pathways. Genetic studies using HPK1 knockout and kinase-dead mice suggested that inhibiting HPK1 either alone or in combination with immune checkpoint blockade could be a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of a series of potent HPK1 inhibitors bearing quinazoline-2,5-diamine scaffold. Three rounds of SAR exploration led to the identification of 9h, the most potent compound in this series which harbors a 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-7-yl substituent. Further biological assessments using human immune cells demonstrated that 9h could strongly inhibit downstream phosphorylation, augment interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and reverse prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-induced immune suppression. Overall, our study on these quinazoline-2,5-diamine derivatives provided not only a tool compound for the community to help with elucidating the HPK1 pharmacology, but also a reliable reference for subsequent development of HPK1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanyu Shi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haotian Tang
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Li
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Danqi Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Tongchao Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yuting Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hua Xie
- Division of Antitumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan 528400, China.
| | - Bing Xiong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
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17
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Ye Q, Liu K, Ye HF, Pan J, Sokolsky A, Wang A, Zhang K, Hummel JR, Kong L, Behshad E, He X, Conlen P, Stump K, Ye M, Diamond S, Covington M, Yeleswaram S, Atasoylu O, Vechorkin O, Yao W. Discovery of Pyrazolopyridine Derivatives as HPK1 Inhibitors. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:5-10. [PMID: 36655125 PMCID: PMC9841581 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of the great success of immune checkpoint inhibitors in immune-oncology therapy, an urgent need still exists to identify alternative approaches to broaden the scope of therapeutic coverage. Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), also known as MAP4K1, functions as a negative regulator of activation signals generated by the T cell antigen receptor. Herein we report the discovery of novel pyrazolopyridine derivatives as selective inhibitors of HPK1. The structure-activity relationship campaign led to the discovery of compound 16, which has shown promising enzymatic and cellular potency with encouraging kinome selectivity. The outstanding pharmacokinetic profiles of 16 in rats and monkeys supported further evaluations of its efficacy and safety in preclinical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinda Ye
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Kai Liu
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Hai-Fen Ye
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Jun Pan
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Alexander Sokolsky
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Anlai Wang
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Ke Zhang
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Joshua R. Hummel
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Ling Kong
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Elham Behshad
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Xin He
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Patricia Conlen
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Kristine Stump
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Min Ye
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Sharon Diamond
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Maryanne Covington
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Swamy Yeleswaram
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Onur Atasoylu
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Oleg Vechorkin
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Wenqing Yao
- Incyte Research Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
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18
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Sokolsky A, Vechorkin O, Hummel JR, Styduhar ED, Wang A, Nguyen MH, Ye HF, Liu K, Zhang K, Pan J, Ye Q, Atasoylu O, Behshad E, He X, Conlen P, Stump K, Ye M, Diamond S, Covington M, Yeleswaram S, Yao W. Potent and Selective Biaryl Amide Inhibitors of Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase 1 (HPK1). ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:116-122. [PMID: 36655134 PMCID: PMC9841582 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we report the discovery of a novel biaryl amide series as selective inhibitors of hematopoietic protein kinase 1 (HPK1). Structure-activity relationship development, aided by molecular modeling, identified indazole 5b as a core for further exploration because of its outstanding enzymatic and cellular potency coupled with encouraging kinome selectivity. Late-stage manipulation of the right-hand aryl and amine moieties surmounted issues of selectivity over TRKA, MAP4K2, and STK4 as well as generating compounds with balanced in vitro ADME profiles and promising pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Sokolsky
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Oleg Vechorkin
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Joshua R. Hummel
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Evan D. Styduhar
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Anlai Wang
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Minh H. Nguyen
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Hai Fen Ye
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Kai Liu
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Ke Zhang
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Jun Pan
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Qinda Ye
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Onur Atasoylu
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Elham Behshad
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Xin He
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Patricia Conlen
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Kristine Stump
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Min Ye
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Sharon Diamond
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Maryanne Covington
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Swamy Yeleswaram
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
| | - Wenqing Yao
- Incyte Research
Institute, 1801 Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United
States
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19
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Zhou L, Wang T, Zhang K, Zhang X, Jiang S. The development of small-molecule inhibitors targeting HPK1. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 244:114819. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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20
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Offringa R, Kötzner L, Huck B, Urbahns K. The expanding role for small molecules in immuno-oncology. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2022; 21:821-840. [PMID: 35982333 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00538-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The advent of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) using antibodies against PD1 and its ligand PDL1 has prompted substantial efforts to develop complementary drugs. Although many of these are antibodies directed against additional checkpoint proteins, there is an increasing interest in small-molecule immuno-oncology drugs that address intracellular pathways, some of which have recently entered clinical trials. In parallel, small molecules that target pro-tumorigenic pathways in cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment have been found to have immunostimulatory effects that synergize with the action of ICI antibodies, leading to the approval of an increasing number of regimens that combine such drugs. Combinations with small molecules targeting cancer metabolism, cytokine/chemokine and innate immune pathways, and T cell checkpoints are now under investigation. This Review discusses the recent milestones and hurdles encountered in this area of drug development, as well as our views on the best path forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rienk Offringa
- Department of Molecular Oncology of Gastrointestinal Tumors, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany. .,DKFZ-Bayer Immunotherapeutics Laboratory, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Department of Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Lisa Kötzner
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Healthcare R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bayard Huck
- EMD Serono, Healthcare R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Klaus Urbahns
- EMD Serono, Healthcare R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, Billerica, MA, USA.
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21
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Zhu Q, Chen N, Tian X, Zhou Y, You Q, Xu X. Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase 1 in Tumor Immunology: A Medicinal Chemistry Perspective. J Med Chem 2022; 65:8065-8090. [PMID: 35696642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a hematopoietic cell-restricted member of the serine/threonine Ste20-related protein kinases, is a negative regulator of the T cell receptor, B cell receptor, and dendritic cells. Loss of HPK1 kinase function increases cytokine secretion and enhances T cell signaling, virus clearance, and tumor growth inhibition. Therefore, HPK1 is considered a promising target for tumor immunotherapy. Several HPK1 inhibitors have been reported to regulate T cell function. In addition, HPK1-targeting PROTACs, which can induce the degradation of HPK1, have also been developed. Here, we provide an overview of research concerning HPK1 protein structure, function, and inhibitors and propose perspectives and insights for the future development of agents targeting HPK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangsheng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Nannan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xinjian Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yeling Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - QiDong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiaoli Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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22
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Malchow S, Korepanova A, Panchal SC, McClure RA, Longenecker KL, Qiu W, Zhao H, Cheng M, Guo J, Klinge KL, Trusk P, Pratt SD, Li T, Kurnick MD, Duan L, Shoemaker AR, Gopalakrishnan SM, Warder SE, Shotwell JB, Lai A, Sun C, Osuma AT, Pappano WN. The HPK1 Inhibitor A-745 Verifies the Potential of Modulating T Cell Kinase Signaling for Immunotherapy. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:556-566. [PMID: 35188729 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is an MAP4K family member within the Ste20-like serine/threonine branch of the kinome. HPK1 expression is limited to hematopoietic cells and has a predominant role as a negative regulator of T cell function. Because of the central/dominant role in negatively regulating T cell function, HPK1 has long been in the center of interest as a potential pharmacological target for immune therapy. The development of a small molecule HPK1 inhibitor remains challenging because of the need for high specificity relative to other kinases, including additional MAP4K family members, that are required for efficient immune cell activation. Here, we report the identification of the selective and potent HPK1 chemical probe, A-745. In unbiased cellular kinase-binding assays, A-745 demonstrates an excellent cellular selectivity binding profile within pharmacologically relevant concentrations. This HPK1 selectivity translates to an in vitro immune cell activation phenotype reminiscent of Hpk1-deficient and Hpk1-kinase-dead T cells, including augmented proliferation and cytokine production. The results from this work give a path forward for further developmental efforts to generate additional selective and potent small molecule HPK1 inhibitors with the pharmacological properties for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Malchow
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Alla Korepanova
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Sanjay C. Panchal
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Ryan A. McClure
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | | | - Wei Qiu
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Min Cheng
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Jun Guo
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Kelly L. Klinge
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Patricia Trusk
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Steven D. Pratt
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Tao Li
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Matthew D. Kurnick
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Lishu Duan
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Alex R. Shoemaker
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | | | - Scott E. Warder
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - J. Brad Shotwell
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Albert Lai
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Chaohong Sun
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Augustine T. Osuma
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - William N. Pappano
- AbbVie Inc., 1 North Waukegan Rd., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
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23
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Ge H, Peng L, Sun Z, Liu H, Shen Y, Yao X. Discovery of Novel HPK1 Inhibitors Through Structure-Based Virtual Screening. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:850855. [PMID: 35370676 PMCID: PMC8967249 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.850855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase (HPK1) is a negative regulator of T-cell receptor and B-cell signaling, which has been recognized as a novel antitumor target for immunotherapy. In this work, Glide docking-based virtual screening and kinase inhibition assay were performed to identify novel HPK1 inhibitors. The kinase inhibition assay results demonstrated five compounds with IC50 values below 20 μM, and the most potent one (compound M074-2865) had an IC50 value of 2.93 ± 0.09 μM. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to delve into the interaction of sunitinib and the identified compound M074-2865 with the kinase domain of HPK1. The five compounds identified in this work could be considered promising hit compounds for further development of HPK1 inhibitors for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhen Ge
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lizeng Peng
- Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing Technology of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Novel Food Resources Processing Ministry of Agriculture, Jinan, China
| | - Zhou Sun
- Academy of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Huanxiang Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | | | - Xiaojun Yao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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24
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Chan BK, Seward E, Lainchbury M, Brewer TF, An L, Blench T, Cartwright MW, Chan GKY, Choo EF, Drummond J, Elliott RL, Gancia E, Gazzard L, Hu B, Jones GE, Luo X, Madin A, Malhotra S, Moffat JG, Pang J, Salphati L, Sneeringer CJ, Stivala CE, Wei B, Wang W, Wu P, Heffron TP. Discovery of Spiro-azaindoline Inhibitors of Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase 1 (HPK1). ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 13:84-91. [PMID: 35059127 PMCID: PMC8762754 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is implicated as a negative regulator of T-cell receptor-induced T-cell activation. Studies using HPK1 kinase-dead knock-in animals have demonstrated the loss of HPK1 kinase activity resulted in an increase in T-cell function and tumor growth inhibition in glioma models. Herein, we describe the discovery of a series of small molecule inhibitors of HPK1. Using a structure-based drug design approach, the kinase selectivity of the molecules was significantly improved by inducing and stabilizing an unusual P-loop folded binding mode. The metabolic liabilities of the initial 7-azaindole high-throughput screening hit were mitigated by addressing a key metabolic soft spot along with physicochemical property-based optimization. The resulting spiro-azaindoline HPK1 inhibitors demonstrated improved in vitro ADME properties and the ability to induce cytokine production in primary human T-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan K. Chan
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States,
| | - Eileen Seward
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Lainchbury
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas F. Brewer
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Le An
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Toby Blench
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew W. Cartwright
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Grace Ka Yan Chan
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Edna F. Choo
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Jason Drummond
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Richard L. Elliott
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Emanuela Gancia
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Lewis Gazzard
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Baihua Hu
- Pharmaron
Beijing Co, No. 6 Tai He Road, BDA, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Graham E. Jones
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Xifeng Luo
- Pharmaron
Beijing Co, No. 6 Tai He Road, BDA, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Andrew Madin
- Charles
River Laboratories, 8-9
Spire Green, Flex Meadow, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Sushant Malhotra
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - John G. Moffat
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Jodie Pang
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Laurent Salphati
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | | | - Craig E. Stivala
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Binqing Wei
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Weiru Wang
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Ping Wu
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Timothy P. Heffron
- Genentech
Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
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