1
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Huang H, Sun L, Du B, Lv W. Learning Joint 2-D and 3-D Graph Diffusion Models for Complete Molecule Generation. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL NETWORKS AND LEARNING SYSTEMS 2024; 35:11857-11871. [PMID: 38976472 DOI: 10.1109/tnnls.2024.3416328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Designing new molecules is essential for drug discovery and material science. Recently, deep generative models that aim to model molecule distribution have made promising progress in narrowing down the chemical research space and generating high-fidelity molecules. However, current generative models only focus on modeling 2-D bonding graphs or 3-D geometries, which are two complementary descriptors for molecules. The lack of ability to jointly model them limits the improvement of generation quality and further downstream applications. In this article, we propose a joint 2-D and 3-D graph diffusion model (JODO) that generates geometric graphs representing complete molecules with atom types, formal charges, bond information, and 3-D coordinates. To capture the correlation between 2-D molecular graphs and 3-D geometries in the diffusion process, we develop a diffusion graph transformer (DGT) to parameterize the data prediction model that recovers the original data from noisy data. The DGT uses a relational attention mechanism that enhances the interaction between node and edge representations. This mechanism operates concurrently with the propagation and update of scalar attributes and geometric vectors. Our model can also be extended for inverse molecular design targeting single or multiple quantum properties. In our comprehensive evaluation pipeline for unconditional joint generation, the experimental results show that JODO remarkably outperforms the baselines on the QM9 and GEOM-Drugs datasets. Furthermore, our model excels in few-step fast sampling, as well as in inverse molecule design and molecular graph generation. Our code is provided in https://github.com/GRAPH-0/JODO.
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2
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Pires CL, Moreno MJ. Improving the Accuracy of Permeability Data to Gain Predictive Power: Assessing Sources of Variability in Assays Using Cell Monolayers. MEMBRANES 2024; 14:157. [PMID: 39057665 PMCID: PMC11278619 DOI: 10.3390/membranes14070157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The ability to predict the rate of permeation of new compounds across biological membranes is of high importance for their success as drugs, as it determines their efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and safety profile. In vitro permeability assays using Caco-2 monolayers are commonly employed to assess permeability across the intestinal epithelium, with an extensive number of apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) values available in the literature and a significant fraction collected in databases. The compilation of these Papp values for large datasets allows for the application of artificial intelligence tools for establishing quantitative structure-permeability relationships (QSPRs) to predict the permeability of new compounds from their structural properties. One of the main challenges that hinders the development of accurate predictions is the existence of multiple Papp values for the same compound, mostly caused by differences in the experimental protocols employed. This review addresses the magnitude of the variability within and between laboratories to interpret its impact on QSPR modelling, systematically and quantitatively assessing the most common sources of variability. This review emphasizes the importance of compiling consistent Papp data and suggests strategies that may be used to obtain such data, contributing to the establishment of robust QSPRs with enhanced predictive power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana L. Pires
- Coimbra Chemistry Center—Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria João Moreno
- Coimbra Chemistry Center—Institute of Molecular Sciences (CQC-IMS), University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
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3
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Kuemper S, Cairns AG, Birchall K, Yao Z, Large JM. Targeted protein degradation in CNS disorders: a promising route to novel therapeutics? Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1370509. [PMID: 38685916 PMCID: PMC11057381 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1370509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is a rapidly expanding field, with various PROTACs (proteolysis-targeting chimeras) in clinical trials and molecular glues such as immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs) already well established in the treatment of certain blood cancers. Many current approaches are focused on oncology targets, leaving numerous potential applications underexplored. Targeting proteins for degradation offers a novel therapeutic route for targets whose inhibition remains challenging, such as protein aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases. This mini review focuses on the prospect of utilizing TPD for neurodegenerative disease targets, particularly PROTAC and molecular glue formats and opportunities for novel CNS E3 ligases. Some key challenges of utilizing such modalities including molecular design of degrader molecules, drug delivery and blood brain barrier penetrance will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Kuemper
- LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew G. Cairns
- LifeArc, Accelerator Building, Open Innovation Campus, Stevenage, United Kingdom
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4
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Apprato G, Poongavanam V, Garcia Jimenez D, Atilaw Y, Erdelyi M, Ermondi G, Caron G, Kihlberg J. Exploring the chemical space of orally bioavailable PROTACs. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103917. [PMID: 38360147 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
A principal challenge in the discovery of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) as oral medications is their bioavailability. To facilitate drug design, it is therefore essential to identify the chemical space where orally bioavailable PROTACs are more likely to be situated. To this aim, we extracted structure-bioavailability insights from published data using traditional 2D descriptors, thereby shedding light on their potential and limitations as drug design tools. Subsequently, we describe cutting-edge experimental, computational and hybrid design strategies based on 3D descriptors, which show promise for enhancing the probability of discovering PROTACs with high oral bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Apprato
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Piazza Nizza 44bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | | | - Diego Garcia Jimenez
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Piazza Nizza 44bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mate Erdelyi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Piazza Nizza 44bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Giulia Caron
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Piazza Nizza 44bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden.
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5
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Möbitz H. Design Principles for Balancing Lipophilicity and Permeability in beyond Rule of 5 Space. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202300395. [PMID: 37986275 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300395] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
An ab initio conformational analysis of oral beyond Rule of 5 (bRo5) drugs was complemented with measured permeability and logP(octanol) to derive design principles conferring oral bioavailability. 3D polar surface area (PSA) thresholds for oral bRo5 drugs coincided with those reported for Ro5 space. The majority of oral bRo5 drugs exceeded the Ro5 logP threshold of 5, reflecting a bias for permeability. Above 500 Da molecular weight (MW), oral drugs and highly permeable Novartis compounds occupy a narrow polarity range (topological or TPSA/MW) of 0.1-0.3 Å2 /Da, whose upper half coincides with the lower 90 percentiles of the Novartis logP set. This TPSA/MW range and 3D PSA below 100 Å2 define the "Rule of ~1 /₅" for balancing lipophilicity and permeability. Neutral TPSA, defined as TPSA minus 3D PSA occurs independent of conformation, intramolecular hydrogen bonds (IMHB) and MW, suggesting it is an intrinsic molecular property. Neutral TPSA increased in the lead optimization (LO) campaigns of three first in class de novo designed bRo5 drugs and may be a useful design parameter in bRo5 space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Möbitz
- Computer-Aided Drug Design, Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis BioMedical Research, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
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6
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Cao L, Xu Z, Shang T, Zhang C, Wu X, Wu Y, Zhai S, Zhan Z, Duan H. Multi_CycGT: A Deep Learning-Based Multimodal Model for Predicting the Membrane Permeability of Cyclic Peptides. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1888-1899. [PMID: 38270541 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Cyclic peptides are gaining attention for their strong binding affinity, low toxicity, and ability to target "undruggable" proteins; however, their therapeutic potential against intracellular targets is constrained by their limited membrane permeability, and researchers need much time and money to test this property in the laboratory. Herein, we propose an innovative multimodal model called Multi_CycGT, which combines a graph convolutional network (GCN) and a transformer to extract one- and two-dimensional features for predicting cyclic peptide permeability. The extensive benchmarking experiments show that our Multi_CycGT model can attain state-of-the-art performance, with an average accuracy of 0.8206 and an area under the curve of 0.8650, and demonstrates satisfactory generalization ability on several external data sets. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first deep learning-based attempt to predict the membrane permeability of cyclic peptides, which is beneficial in accelerating the design of cyclic peptide active drugs in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lujing Cao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Zhenyu Xu
- AI Department, Shanghai Highslab Therapeutics, Inc., Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Tianfeng Shang
- AI Department, Shanghai Highslab Therapeutics, Inc., Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chengyun Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
- AI Department, Shanghai Highslab Therapeutics, Inc., Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xinyi Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Yejian Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Silong Zhai
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Zhajun Zhan
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Hongliang Duan
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
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7
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Poongavanam V, Wieske LHE, Peintner S, Erdélyi M, Kihlberg J. Molecular chameleons in drug discovery. Nat Rev Chem 2024; 8:45-60. [PMID: 38123688 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-023-00563-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Molecular chameleons possess a flexibility that allows them to dynamically shield or expose polar functionalities in response to the properties of the environment. Although the concept of molecular chameleons was introduced already in 1970, interest in them has grown considerably since the 2010s, when drug discovery has focused to an increased extent on new chemical modalities. Such modalities include cyclic peptides, macrocycles and proteolysis-targeting chimeras, all of which reside in a chemical space far from that of traditional small-molecule drugs. Both cell permeability and aqueous solubility are required for the oral absorption of drugs. Engineering these properties, and potent target binding, into the larger new modalities is a more daunting task than for traditional small-molecule drugs. The ability of chameleons to adapt to different environments may be essential for success. In this Review, we provide both general and theoretical insights into the realm of molecular chameleons. We discuss why chameleons have come into fashion and provide a do-it-yourself toolbox for their design; we then provide a glimpse of how advanced in silico methods can support molecular chameleon design.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stefan Peintner
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Máté Erdélyi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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8
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Tang X, Kokot J, Waibl F, Fernández-Quintero ML, Kamenik AS, Liedl KR. Addressing Challenges of Macrocyclic Conformational Sampling in Polar and Apolar Solvents: Lessons for Chameleonicity. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:7107-7123. [PMID: 37943023 PMCID: PMC10685455 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01123] [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: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated a workflow to reliably sample the conformational space of a set of 47 peptidic macrocycles. Starting from SMILES strings, we use accelerated molecular dynamics simulations to overcome high energy barriers, in particular, the cis-trans isomerization of peptide bonds. We find that our approach performs very well in polar solvents like water and dimethyl sulfoxide. Interestingly, the protonation state of a secondary amine in the ring only slightly influences the conformational ensembles of our test systems. For several of the macrocycles, determining the conformational distribution in chloroform turns out to be considerably more challenging. Especially, the choice of partial charges crucially influences the ensembles in chloroform. We address these challenges by modifying initial structures and the choice of partial charges. Our results suggest that special care has to be taken to understand the configurational distribution in apolar solvents, which is a key step toward a reliable prediction of membrane permeation of macrocycles and their chameleonic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechen Tang
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Janik Kokot
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Franz Waibl
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Department
of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH
Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Anna S. Kamenik
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Klaus R. Liedl
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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9
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Malaspina DC, Teixidor F, Viñas C, Faraudo J. How a few help all: cooperative crossing of lipid membranes by COSAN anions. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:27942-27948. [PMID: 37823330 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03614f] [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: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Experimental results show that the presence of a concentration gradient of certain nano-ions (most notably cobaltabisdicarbollide ([o-COSAN]- anions), induce a current across intact artificial phospholipid bilayers in spite of the high Born free energy estimated for these ions. The mechanism underlying this observed translocation of nano-anions across membranes has yet to be determined. Here we show, using molecular dynamics simulations, that the permeation of [o-COSAN]- anions across a lipid bilayer proceeds in a cooperative manner. Single nano-ions can enter the bilayer but permeation is hampered by a free energy barrier of about 8kBT. The interaction between these nano-ions inside a leaflet induces a flip-flop translocation mechanism with the formation of transient, elongated structure inside the membrane. This cooperative flip-flop allows an efficient distribution of [o-COSAN]- anions in both leaflets of the bilayer. These results suggest the existence of a new mechanism for permeation of nano-ions across lipid membranes, relevant for those that have the appropriate self-assembly character.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Malaspina
- Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona, ICMAB-CSIC, Campus de la UAB, E- 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Francesc Teixidor
- Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona, ICMAB-CSIC, Campus de la UAB, E- 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Clara Viñas
- Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona, ICMAB-CSIC, Campus de la UAB, E- 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Jordi Faraudo
- Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona, ICMAB-CSIC, Campus de la UAB, E- 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
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10
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Strzyga-Łach P, Chrzanowska A, Kiernozek-Kalińska E, Żyżyńska-Granica B, Podsadni K, Podsadni P, Bielenica A. Proapoptotic effects of halogenated bis-phenylthiourea derivatives in cancer cells. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2023; 356:e2300105. [PMID: 37401845 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202300105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
New halogenated thiourea derivatives were synthesized via the reaction of substituted phenylisothiocyanates with aromatic amines. Their cytotoxic activity was examined in in vitro studies against solid tumors (SW480, SW620, PC3), a hematological malignance (K-562), and normal keratinocytes (HaCaT). Most of the compounds were more effective against SW480 (1a, 3a, 3b, 5j), K-562 (2b, 3a, 4a), or PC3 (5d) cells than cisplatin, with favorable selectivity. Their anticancer mechanisms were studied by Annexin V-fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate apoptosis, caspase-3/caspase-7 assessment, cell cycle analysis, interleukin-6 (IL-6) release inhibition, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation assay. Thioureas 1a, 2b, 3a, and 4a were the most potent activators of early apoptosis in K-562 cells, and substances 1a, 3b, 5j triggered late-apoptosis or necrosis in SW480 cells. This proapoptotic effect was proved by the significant increase of caspase-3/caspase-7 activation. Cell cycle analysis revealed that derivatives 1a, 3a, 5j increased the number of SW480 and K-562 cells in the sub-G1 and/or G0/G1 phases, and one evoked cycle arrest at the G2 phase. The most potent thioureas inhibited IL-6 cytokine secretion from PC3 cells and both colon cancer cell lines. Apoptosis-inducing compounds also increased ROS production in all tumor cell cultures, which may enhance their anticancer properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Strzyga-Łach
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Chrzanowska
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | - Katarzyna Podsadni
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Podsadni
- Department of Drug Technology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Bielenica
- Chair and Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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11
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Wieske LHE, Atilaw Y, Poongavanam V, Erdélyi M, Kihlberg J. Going Viral: An Investigation into the Chameleonic Behaviour of Antiviral Compounds. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202202798. [PMID: 36286339 PMCID: PMC10107787 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202202798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ability to adjust conformations in response to the polarity of the environment, i.e. molecular chameleonicity, is considered to be important for conferring both high aqueous solubility and high cell permeability to drugs in chemical space beyond Lipinski's rule of 5. We determined the conformational ensembles populated by the antiviral drugs asunaprevir, simeprevir, atazanavir and daclatasvir in polar (DMSO-d6 ) and non-polar (chloroform) environments with NMR spectroscopy. Daclatasvir was fairly rigid, whereas the first three showed large flexibility in both environments, that translated into major differences in solvent accessible 3D polar surface area within each conformational ensemble. No significant differences in size and polar surface area were observed between the DMSO-d6 and chloroform ensembles of these three drugs. We propose that such flexible compounds are characterized as "partial molecular chameleons" and hypothesize that their ability to adopt conformations with low polar surface area contributes to their membrane permeability and oral absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne H E Wieske
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Máté Erdélyi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
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12
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Conformational Sampling Deciphers the Chameleonic Properties of a VHL-Based Degrader. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15010272. [PMID: 36678900 PMCID: PMC9861353 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chameleonicity (the capacity of a molecule to adapt its conformations to the environment) may help to identify orally bioavailable drugs in the beyond-Rule-of-5 chemical space. Computational methods to predict the chameleonic behaviour of degraders have not yet been reported and the identification of molecular chameleons still relies on experimental evidence. Therefore, there is a need to tune predictions with experimental data. Here, we employ PROTAC-1 (a passively cell-permeable degrader), for which NMR and physicochemical data prove the chameleonic behaviour, to benchmark the capacity of two conformational sampling algorithms and selection schemes. To characterize the conformational ensembles in both polar and nonpolar environments, we compute three molecular properties proven to be essential for cell permeability: conformer shape (radius of gyration), polarity (3D PSA), and the number of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Energetic criteria were also considered. Infographics monitored the simultaneous variation of those properties in computed and NMR conformers. Overall, we provide key points for tuning conformational sampling tools to reproduce PROTAC-1 chameleonicity according to NMR evidence. This study is expected to improve the design of PROTAC drugs and the development of computational sustainable strategies to exploit the potential of new modalities in drug discovery.
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13
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Permeability of New Antifungal Fluconazole Derivatives through a Lipophilic Membrane: Experiment and Modeling. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28010389. [PMID: 36615585 PMCID: PMC9823331 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Relationships between the structures of molecules and their properties form the basis of modern chemistry and lay the foundation for structure-based drug design. Being the main two determinants of bioavailability, solubility and permeability of drugs are widely investigated experimentally and predicted from physicochemical parameters and structural descriptors. In the present study, we measure the passive diffusion permeability of a series of new fluconazole derivatives with triazole and thiazolo-pyrimidine moieties connected by different linker bridges through the PermeaPad barrier-a relatively new biomimetic lipophilic membrane that has been increasingly used in recent years. The permeability coefficients of new derivatives are shown to be dependent both on the structure of the linker fragment and on the substituent in the phenyl ring of the thiazolo-pyrimidine moiety. The impact of the compound ionization state on the permeability is revealed. Reliable correlations of the permeability with the antifungal activity and distribution coefficient are found. In addition, the solubility-diffusion approach is shown to be able to successfully predict the permeability of the studied derivatives. The obtained results can be considered another step in the development of permeability databases and design of schemes for in vitro permeability prediction.
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14
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Okella H, Okello E, Mtewa AG, Ikiriza H, Kaggwa B, Aber J, Ndekezi C, Nkamwesiga J, Ajayi CO, Mugeni IM, Ssentamu G, Ochwo S, Odongo S, Tolo CU, Kato CD, Engeu PO. ADMET profiling and molecular docking of potential antimicrobial peptides previously isolated from African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1039286. [PMID: 36567944 PMCID: PMC9772024 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1039286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amidst rising cases of antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are regarded as a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics. Even so, poor pharmacokinetic profiles of certain AMPs impede their utility necessitating, a careful assessment of potential AMPs' absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties during novel lead exploration. Accordingly, the present study utilized ADMET scores to profile seven previously isolated African catfish antimicrobial peptides (ACAPs). After profiling, the peptides were docked against approved bacterial protein targets to gain insight into their possible mode of action. Promising ACAPs were then chemically synthesized, and their antibacterial activity was validated in vitro utilizing the broth dilution method. All seven examined antimicrobial peptides passed the ADMET screening, with two (ACAP-IV and ACAP-V) exhibiting the best ADMET profile scores. The ACAP-V had a higher average binding energy (-8.47 kcal/mol) and average global energy (-70.78 kcal/mol) compared to ACAP-IV (-7.60 kcal/mol and -57.53 kcal/mol), with the potential to penetrate and disrupt bacterial cell membrane (PDB Id: 2w6d). Conversely, ACAP-IV peptide had higher antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, 520.7 ± 104.3 μg/ml and 1666.7 ± 416.7 μg/ml, respectively) compared to ACAP-V. Collectively, the two antimicrobial peptides (ACAP-IV and ACAP-V) are potential novel leads for the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Future research is recommended to optimize the expression of such peptides in biological systems for extended evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedmon Okella
- Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Tulare, CA, United States
- Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Emmanuel Okello
- Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Tulare, CA, United States
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Andrew Glory Mtewa
- Chemistry Section, Malawi Institute of Technology, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Limbe, Malawi
| | - Hilda Ikiriza
- Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Bruhan Kaggwa
- Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jacqueline Aber
- Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | | | - Joseph Nkamwesiga
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clement Olusoji Ajayi
- Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Ivan Mulongo Mugeni
- Medical Entomology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Geofrey Ssentamu
- Department of Biotechnical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sylvester Ochwo
- Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Steven Odongo
- Department of Biotechnical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Casim Umba Tolo
- Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Charles Drago Kato
- Department of Biotechnical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Patrick Ogwang Engeu
- Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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15
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Williams-Noonan BJ, Speer MN, Le TC, Sadek MM, Thompson PE, Norton RS, Yuriev E, Barlow N, Chalmers DK, Yarovsky I. Membrane Permeating Macrocycles: Design Guidelines from Machine Learning. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:4605-4619. [PMID: 36178379 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The ability to predict cell-permeable candidate molecules has great potential to assist drug discovery projects. Large molecules that lie beyond the Rule of Five (bRo5) are increasingly important as drug candidates and tool molecules for chemical biology. However, such large molecules usually do not cross cell membranes and cannot access intracellular targets or be developed as orally bioavailable drugs. Here, we describe a random forest (RF) machine learning model for the prediction of passive membrane permeation rates developed using a set of over 1000 bRo5 macrocyclic compounds. The model is based on easily calculated chemical features/descriptors as independent variables. Our random forest (RF) model substantially outperforms a multiple linear regression model based on the same features and achieves better performance metrics than previously reported models using the same underlying data. These features include: (1) polar surface area in water, (2) the octanol-water partitioning coefficient, (3) the number of hydrogen-bond donors, (4) the sum of the topological distances between nitrogen atoms, (5) the sum of the topological distances between nitrogen and oxygen atoms, and (6) the multiple molecular path count of order 2. The last three features represent molecular flexibility, the ability of the molecule to adopt different conformations in the aqueous and membrane interior phases, and the molecular "chameleonicity." Guided by the model, we propose design guidelines for membrane-permeating macrocycles. It is anticipated that this model will be useful in guiding the design of large, bioactive molecules for medicinal chemistry and chemical biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Billy J Williams-Noonan
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne3001, Australia.,Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville3052, Australia
| | - Melissa N Speer
- University of Melbourne, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Carlton3053, Australia
| | - Tu C Le
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne3001, Australia
| | - Maiada M Sadek
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville3052, Australia
| | - Philip E Thompson
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville3052, Australia
| | - Raymond S Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville3052, Australia.,ARC Centre for Fragment-Based Design, Monash University, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Yuriev
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville3052, Australia
| | - Nicholas Barlow
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville3052, Australia
| | - David K Chalmers
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville3052, Australia
| | - Irene Yarovsky
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne3001, Australia
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16
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Poongavanam V, Atilaw Y, Siegel S, Giese A, Lehmann L, Meibom D, Erdelyi M, Kihlberg J. Linker-Dependent Folding Rationalizes PROTAC Cell Permeability. J Med Chem 2022; 65:13029-13040. [PMID: 36170570 PMCID: PMC9574858 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) must be cell permeable to reach their target proteins. This is challenging as the bivalent structure of PROTACs puts them in chemical space at, or beyond, the outer limits of oral druggable space. We used NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations independently to gain insights into the origin of the differences in cell permeability displayed by three flexible cereblon PROTACs having closely related structures. Both methods revealed that the propensity of the PROTACs to adopt folded conformations with a low solvent-accessible 3D polar surface area in an apolar environment is correlated to high cell permeability. The chemical nature and the flexibility of the linker were essential for the PROTACs to populate folded conformations stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds, π-π interactions, and van der Waals interactions. We conclude that MD simulations may be used for the prospective ranking of cell permeability in the design of cereblon PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry─BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stephan Siegel
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Bayer AG, 13342 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Giese
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Bayer AG, 13342 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lutz Lehmann
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Bayer AG, 42113 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Daniel Meibom
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Bayer AG, 42113 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Mate Erdelyi
- Department of Chemistry─BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry─BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
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17
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Agarwal P, Huckle J, Newman J, Reid DL. Trends in small molecule drug properties: A developability molecule assessment perspective. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:103366. [PMID: 36122862 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Developability molecule assessment is a key interfacial capability across the biopharmaceutical industry, screening and staging molecules discovered by medicinal chemists for successful chemistry manufacturing controls (CMC) development and launch. The breadth of responsibility and expertise such teams possess puts them in a unique position to understand the impact of the physicochemical properties of a drug during its initial discovery and subsequent development. However, most of the publications describing trends in physicochemical properties are written from a medicinal chemistry perspective with the aim to identify molecules with better ADMET profiles that are either lead-like or drug-like, failing to describe the impact these properties have on CMC development. To systematically uncover knowledge obtained from recent trends in physicochemical properties and the corresponding impact on CMC development, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on molecules in the drug repurposing hub dataset. The only physicochemical property that seems to have been preserved in FDA-approved oral molecules over the decades (1900-2020) is a constant H-bond donor count, highlighting the importance this property has on cell permeability and lattice energy. Pharmaceutical attrition analysis suggests that partition-distribution coefficient, H-bond acceptors, polar surface area and the fraction of sp3 carbons are properties that are associated with compound attrition. Looking at pharmaceutical attrition asynchronously with the temporal analysis of FDA-approved oral molecules highlights the opposing trends, risks and diminishing effects some of these physiochemical properties (cLogP, cLogD and Fsp3) have on describing compound attrition during the past decade. Trellising the dataset by target class suggests that certain formulation and drug delivery strategies can be anticipated or put into place based on target class of a molecule. For example, molecules binding to nuclear hormone receptors are amenable to lipid-based drug delivery systems with proven commercial success. Although the poor solubility of kinase inhibitors is a combination of hydrophobicity (due to aromaticity) required to bind to its target and high lattice energy (melting point), they are a challenging target class to formulate. The influence of drug targets on physicochemical properties and the temporal nature of these properties is highlighted when comparing molecules in the drug repurposing dataset to those developed at Amgen. An improved understanding of the impact of molecular properties on performance attributes can accelerate decisions and facilitate risk assessments during candidate selection and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Agarwal
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen, One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.
| | - James Huckle
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen, One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Jake Newman
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen, One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Darren L Reid
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen, 360 Binney St, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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18
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Rossi Sebastiano M, Garcia Jimenez D, Vallaro M, Caron G, Ermondi G. Refinement of Computational Access to Molecular Physicochemical Properties: From Ro5 to bRo5. J Med Chem 2022; 65:12068-12083. [PMID: 36094896 PMCID: PMC9511483 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
There is a need of computational tools to rank bRo5 drug
candidates
in the very early phases of drug discovery when chemical matter is
unavailable. In this study, we selected three compounds: (a) a Ro5
drug (Pomalidomide), (b) a bRo5 orally available drug (Saquinavir),
and (c) a polar PROTAC (CMP 98) to focus on computational access to
physicochemical properties. To provide a benchmark, the three compounds
were first experimentally characterized for their lipophilicity, polarity,
IMHBs, and chameleonicity. To reproduce the experimental information
content, we generated conformer ensembles with conformational sampling
and molecular dynamics in both water and nonpolar solvents. Then we
calculated Rgyr, 3D PSA, and IMHB number. An innovative pool of strategies
for data analysis was then provided. Overall, we report a contribution
to close the gap between experimental and computational methods for
characterizing bRo5 physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Rossi Sebastiano
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, CASSMedChem, University of Torino, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Diego Garcia Jimenez
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, CASSMedChem, University of Torino, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Maura Vallaro
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, CASSMedChem, University of Torino, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Giulia Caron
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, CASSMedChem, University of Torino, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, CASSMedChem, University of Torino, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
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19
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Baylon JL, Ursu O, Muzdalo A, Wassermann AM, Adams GL, Spale M, Mejzlik P, Gromek A, Pisarenko V, Hancharyk D, Jenkins E, Bednar D, Chang C, Clarova K, Glick M, Bitton DA. PepSeA: Peptide Sequence Alignment and Visualization Tools to Enable Lead Optimization. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:1259-1267. [PMID: 35192366 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic peptides offer potential advantages over small molecules in terms of selectivity, affinity, and their ability to target "undruggable" proteins that are associated with a wide range of pathologies. Despite their importance, current molecular design capabilities that inform medicinal chemistry decisions on peptide programs are limited. More specifically, there are unmet needs for structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis and visualization of linear, cyclic, and cross-linked peptides containing non-natural motifs, which are widely used in drug discovery. To bridge this gap, we developed PepSeA (Peptide Sequence Alignment and Visualization), an open-source, freely available package of sequence-based tools (https://github.com/Merck/PepSeA). PepSeA enables multiple sequence alignment of non-natural amino acids and enhanced visualization with the hierarchical editing language for macromolecules (HELM). Via stepwise SAR analysis of a ChEMBL peptide data set, we demonstrate the utility of PepSeA to accelerate decision making in lead optimization campaigns in pharmaceutical setting. PepSeA represents an initial attempt to expand cheminformatics capabilities for therapeutic peptides and to enable rapid and more efficient design-make-test cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier L Baylon
- Computational and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Oleg Ursu
- Computational and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Anja Muzdalo
- R&D Informatics Solutions, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - Anne Mai Wassermann
- Computational and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Gregory L Adams
- Computational and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Martin Spale
- R&D Informatics Solutions, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Mejzlik
- AI & Big Data Analytics, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Gromek
- R&D Informatics Solutions, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - Viktor Pisarenko
- R&D Informatics Solutions, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - Dzianis Hancharyk
- R&D Informatics Solutions, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - Esteban Jenkins
- Foundational Data and Analytics, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - David Bednar
- Foundational Data and Analytics, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
| | - Charlie Chang
- Discovery Research IT, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Kamila Clarova
- R&D Informatics Solutions, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic.,Department of Informatics and Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Meir Glick
- Computational and Structural Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Danny A Bitton
- R&D Informatics Solutions, MSD Czech Republic s.r.o., Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
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20
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David L, Wenlock M, Barton P, Ritzén A. Prediction of Chameleonic Efficiency. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:2669-2685. [PMID: 34240561 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Chameleonic properties, i. e., the capacity of a molecule to hide polarity in non-polar environments and expose it in water, help achieving sufficient permeability and solubility for drug molecules with high MW. We present models of experimental measures of polarity for a set of 24 FDA approved drugs (MW 405-1113) and one PROTAC (MW 1034). Conformational ensembles in aqueous and non-polar environments were generated using molecular dynamics. A linear regression model that predicts chromatographic apparent polarity (EPSA) with a mean unsigned error of 10 Å2 was derived based on separate terms for donor, acceptor, and total molecular SASA. A good correlation (R2 =0.92) with an experimental measure of hydrogen bond donor potential, Δlog Poct-tol , was found for the mean hydrogen bond donor SASA of the conformational ensemble scaled with Abraham's A hydrogen bond acidity. Two quantitative measures of chameleonic behaviour, the chameleonic efficiency indices, are introduced. We envision that the methods presented herein will be useful to triage designed molecules and prioritize those with the best chance of achieving acceptable permeability and solubility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent David
- Computational Chemistry, H. Lundbeck A/S, Ottiliavej 9, 2300, Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mark Wenlock
- Physical Chemistry, Cyprotex Discovery Limited, Alderley Park, Nether Alderley, Cheshire, SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Patrick Barton
- Evotec (UK) Ltd., 114 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4RZ, UK.,DMPK, UCB Celltech, Branch of UCB Pharma S.A., 208 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3WE, UK
| | - Andreas Ritzén
- Drug Design, LEO Pharma A/S, Industriparken 55, 2550, Ballerup, Denmark.,Monte Rosa Therapeutics AG, Aeschenvorstadt 36, CH 4057, Basel, Switzerland
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21
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Begnini F, Poongavanam V, Atilaw Y, Erdelyi M, Schiesser S, Kihlberg J. Cell Permeability of Isomeric Macrocycles: Predictions and NMR Studies. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:983-990. [PMID: 34136079 PMCID: PMC8201747 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
Conformation-dependent 3D descriptors
have been shown to provide
better predictions of the physicochemical properties of macrocycles
than 2D descriptors. However, the computational identification of
relevant conformations for macrocycles is nontrivial. Herein, we report
that the Caco-2 cell permeability difference between a pair of diastereomeric
macrocycles correlated with their solvent accessible 3D polar surface
area and radius of gyration. The descriptors were calculated from
the macrocycles’ solution-phase conformational ensembles and
independently from ensembles obtained by conformational sampling.
Calculation of the two descriptors for three other stereo- and regioisomeric
macrocycles also allowed the correct ranking of their cell permeability.
Methods for conformational sampling may thus allow ranking of passive
permeability for moderately flexible macrocycles, thereby contributing
to the prioritization of macrocycles for synthesis in lead optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Begnini
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mate Erdelyi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stefan Schiesser
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology (R&I), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, 43183 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
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22
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Digiesi V, de la Oliva Roque V, Vallaro M, Caron G, Ermondi G. Permeability prediction in the beyond-Rule-of 5 chemical space: Focus on cyclic hexapeptides. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021; 165:259-270. [PMID: 34038796 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic peptides (CPs) are gaining more and more relevance in drug discovery. Since one of their main drawbacks is poor permeability, the discovery of new orally available CP drugs requires computational tools that predict CP permeability in very early drug discovery. In this study we used a literature dataset of 62 cyclic hexapeptides to evaluate the performances of a number of in silico tools based on different computational theory to model and rationalize PAMPA and Caco-2 permeability values. In particular, we submitted the dataset to a) online calculators, b) QSPR strategies, c) a physics-based tool, d) a mixed approach and e) a kinetic method. This latter is an emergent strategy in which a few relevant conformations retrieved from a set of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations by the Markov State Model (MSM) are used to establish the compounds permeability. Both free and commercial software were used. Results were compared with a model based on experimental physicochemical descriptors. All the computational approaches but online calculators performed quite well and show that lipophilicity and not polarity is the main determinant of the investigated event. A second major outcome of the study is that the impact of flexibility on the permeability of the considered dataset cannot be unambiguously assessed. Finally, our comparative analysis, which also included not common applied strategies, allowed a sound evaluation of the pros and cons of the applied computational approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Digiesi
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Via Quarello, 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Víctor de la Oliva Roque
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Via Quarello, 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Maura Vallaro
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Via Quarello, 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Giulia Caron
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Via Quarello, 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Via Quarello, 15, 10135 Torino, Italy.
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23
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Miyachi H, Kanamitsu K, Ishii M, Watanabe E, Katsuyama A, Otsuguro S, Yakushiji F, Watanabe M, Matsui K, Sato Y, Shuto S, Tadokoro T, Kita S, Matsumaru T, Matsuda A, Hirose T, Iwatsuki M, Shigeta Y, Nagano T, Kojima H, Ichikawa S, Sunazuka T, Maenaka K. Structure, solubility, and permeability relationships in a diverse middle molecule library. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 37:127847. [PMID: 33571648 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.127847] [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: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
To develop methodology to predict the potential druggability of middle molecules, we examined the structure, solubility, and permeability relationships of a diverse library (HKDL ver.1) consisting of 510 molecules (359 natural product derivatives, 76 non-natural products, 46 natural products, and 29 non-natural product derivatives). The library included peptides, depsipeptides, macrolides, and lignans, and 476 of the 510 compounds had a molecular weight in the range of 500-2000 Da. The solubility and passive diffusion velocity of the middle molecules were assessed using the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA). Quantitative values of solubility of 471 molecules and passive diffusion velocity of 287 molecules were obtained, and their correlations with the structural features of the molecules were examined. Based on the results, we propose a method to predict the passive diffusion characteristics of middle molecules from their three-dimensional structural features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Miyachi
- Lead Exploration Unit, Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Kayoko Kanamitsu
- Lead Exploration Unit, Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mayumi Ishii
- Lead Exploration Unit, Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eri Watanabe
- Lead Exploration Unit, Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Akira Katsuyama
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 6, Kita ku, Sapporo 060 0812, Japan; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Satoko Otsuguro
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 6, Kita ku, Sapporo 060 0812, Japan
| | - Fumika Yakushiji
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 6, Kita ku, Sapporo 060 0812, Japan; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Mizuki Watanabe
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Kouhei Matsui
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Yukina Sato
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Satoshi Shuto
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Takashi Tadokoro
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Kita
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Takanori Matsumaru
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Akira Matsuda
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Tomoyasu Hirose
- Ōmura Satoshi Memorial Research Institute, Kitasato University, Shirokane 5-9-1, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan
| | - Masato Iwatsuki
- Ōmura Satoshi Memorial Research Institute, Kitasato University, Shirokane 5-9-1, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan
| | - Yasuteru Shigeta
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Nagano
- Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hirotatsu Kojima
- Drug Discovery Initiative, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ichikawa
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 6, Kita ku, Sapporo 060 0812, Japan; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Toshiaki Sunazuka
- Ōmura Satoshi Memorial Research Institute, Kitasato University, Shirokane 5-9-1, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan.
| | - Katsumi Maenaka
- Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 6, Kita ku, Sapporo 060 0812, Japan; Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 6, Kita ku, Sapporo 060 0812, Japan.
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24
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Ermondi G, Vallaro M, Saame J, Toom L, Leito I, Ruiz R, Caron G. Rifampicin as an example of beyond-rule-of-5 compound: Ionization beyond water and lipophilicity beyond octanol/water. Eur J Pharm Sci 2021; 161:105802. [PMID: 33716188 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2021.105802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Ionization and lipophilicity in early drug discovery are commonly characterized in water and octanol/water, respectively and thus do not consider the non-polar features of the biomembrane core. This is particularly limiting for bRo5 compounds which may adapt their properties (e.g. ionization and lipophilicity) to the environment. In this paper we used experimental methods to characterize rifampicin for its ionization properties in various water/cosolvent mixtures and in pure MeCN and its lipophilicity in octanol/water and toluene/water systems. Moreover, we also measured log k'80 PLRP-S, a chromatographic index of lipophilicity in non-polar media. Results show that the existence domain of neutral rifampicin is limited compared to the zwitterion, but the lipophilic cationic species is extremely relevant in non-polar environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Ermondi
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Università degli Studi di Torino, via Quarello 15, Torino 10135, Italy
| | - Maura Vallaro
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Università degli Studi di Torino, via Quarello 15, Torino 10135, Italy
| | - Jaan Saame
- University of Tartu, Institute of Chemistry, Ravila 14a, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Lauri Toom
- University of Tartu, Institute of Chemistry, Ravila 14a, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Ivo Leito
- University of Tartu, Institute of Chemistry, Ravila 14a, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Rebeca Ruiz
- Pion Inc., Forest Row Business Park, Forest Row RH18 5DW, UK
| | - Giulia Caron
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept., Università degli Studi di Torino, via Quarello 15, Torino 10135, Italy.
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25
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Atilaw Y, Poongavanam V, Svensson Nilsson C, Nguyen D, Giese A, Meibom D, Erdelyi M, Kihlberg J. Solution Conformations Shed Light on PROTAC Cell Permeability. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:107-114. [PMID: 33488971 PMCID: PMC7812666 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
Proteolysis
targeting chimeras (PROTACs) induce intracellular degradation
of target proteins. Their bifunctional structure puts degraders in
a chemical space where ADME properties often complicate drug discovery.
Herein we provide the first structural insight into PROTAC cell permeability
obtained by NMR studies of a VHL-based PROTAC (1), which
is cell permeable despite having a high molecular weight and polarity
and a large number of rotatable bonds. We found that 1 populates elongated and polar conformations in solutions that mimic
extra- and intracellular compartments. Conformations were folded and
had a smaller polar surface area in chloroform, mimicking a cell membrane
interior. Formation of intramolecular and nonclassical hydrogen bonds,
π–π interactions, and shielding of amide groups
from solvent all facilitate cell permeability by minimization of size
and polarity. We conclude that molecular chameleonicity appears to
be of major importance for 1 to enter into target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | - Duy Nguyen
- Nuvisan Innovation Campus Berlin GmbH, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Giese
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Bayer AG, 13342 Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Meibom
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Bayer AG, 42113 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Mate Erdelyi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
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26
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Caron G, Kihlberg J, Goetz G, Ratkova E, Poongavanam V, Ermondi G. Steering New Drug Discovery Campaigns: Permeability, Solubility, and Physicochemical Properties in the bRo5 Chemical Space. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:13-23. [PMID: 33488959 PMCID: PMC7812602 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of drug discovery programs concern compounds in the beyond rule of 5 (bRo5) chemical space, such as cyclic peptides, macrocycles, and degraders. Recent results show that common paradigms of property-based drug design need revision to be applied to larger and more flexible compounds. A virtual event entitled "Solubility, permeability and physico-chemical properties in the bRo5 chemical space" was organized to provide preliminary guidance on how to make the discovery of oral drugs in the bRo5 space more effective. The four speakers emphasized the importance of the bRo5 space as a source of new oral drugs and provided examples of experimental and computational methods specifically tailored for design and optimization in this chemical space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Caron
- Molecular
Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, University of Torino, Via Quarello, 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department
of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gilles Goetz
- Hit
Discovery and Optimization, Discovery Sciences, WWRD, Pfizer Inc, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Ekaterina Ratkova
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- Molecular
Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, University of Torino, Via Quarello, 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
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27
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Cipcigan F, Smith P, Crain J, Hogner A, De Maria L, Llinas A, Ratkova E. Membrane Permeability in Cyclic Peptides is Modulated by Core Conformations. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 61:263-269. [PMID: 33350828 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic peptides have the potential to bind to challenging targets, which are undruggable with small molecules, but their application is limited by low membrane permeability. Here, using a series of cyclic pentapeptides, we showed that established physicochemical criteria of permeable peptides are heavily violated. We revealed that a dominant core conformation, stabilized by amides' shielding pattern, could guide the design of novel compounds. As a result, counter-intuitive strategies, such as incorporation of polar residues, can be beneficial for permeability. We further find that core globularity is a promising descriptor, which can extend the capability of standard predictive models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flaviu Cipcigan
- IBM Research Europe, The Hartree Centre STFC Laboratory, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Warrington WA4 4AD, U.K
| | - Paul Smith
- IBM Research Europe, The Hartree Centre STFC Laboratory, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Warrington WA4 4AD, U.K.,King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, U.K
| | - Jason Crain
- IBM Research Europe, The Hartree Centre STFC Laboratory, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Warrington WA4 4AD, U.K.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K
| | - Anders Hogner
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg 43150, Sweden
| | - Leonardo De Maria
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology (RI), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg 43150, Sweden
| | - Antonio Llinas
- Inhalation Product Development, Pharmaceutical Technology and Development, Operations, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg 43150, Sweden
| | - Ekaterina Ratkova
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg 43150, Sweden
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28
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Zane D, Feldman PL, Sawyer T, Sobol Z, Hawes J. Development and Regulatory Challenges for Peptide Therapeutics. Int J Toxicol 2020; 40:108-124. [PMID: 33327828 DOI: 10.1177/1091581820977846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
There has been an increased interest in and activity for the use of peptide therapeutics to treat a variety of human diseases. The number of peptide drugs entering clinical development and the market has increased significantly over the past decade despite inherent challenges of peptide therapeutic discovery, development, and patient-friendly delivery. Disparities in interpretation and application of existing regulatory guidances to innovative synthetic and conjugated peptide assets have resulted in challenges for both regulators and sponsors. The Symposium on Development and Regulatory Challenges for Peptide Therapeutics at the 40th Annual Meeting of the American College of Toxicology held in November of 2019 focused on the following specific topics: (1) peptide therapeutic progress and future directions, and approaches to discover, optimize, assess, and deliver combination peptide therapeutics for treatment of diseases; (2) toxicological considerations to advance peptide drug-device combination products for efficient development and optimal patient benefit and adherence; (3) industry and regulatory perspectives on the regulation of synthetic and conjugated peptide products, including exploration of regulatory classifications, interpretations, and application of the existing guidances International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) M3(R2) and ICH S6(R1) in determining nonclinical study recommendations; and (4) presentation of the 2016 Health and Environmental Sciences Institute's Genetic Toxicology Technical Committee working group assessment of genotoxicity testing requirements. Perspectives were shared from industry and regulatory scientists working in the peptide therapeutics field followed by an open forum panel discussion to discuss questions drafted for the peptide therapeutics scientific community, which will be discussed in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Zane
- 435529Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Paul L Feldman
- 435529Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Zhanna Sobol
- Pfizer Inc., Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Jessica Hawes
- 4137Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Hawes is now with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), Jefferson, AR, USA
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29
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Sano M, Shimaoka H, Kohira N, Murakami Y, Murai H, Yoshizawa H. Synthesis of Novel Macrocyclic Compounds Derived from Ceftriaxone. CHEM LETT 2020. [DOI: 10.1246/cl.200607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Sano
- Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 1-1 Futabacho 3-chome, Toyonaka, Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Shimaoka
- Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 1-1 Futabacho 3-chome, Toyonaka, Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Naoki Kohira
- Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 1-1 Futabacho 3-chome, Toyonaka, Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Yuki Murakami
- Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 1-1 Futabacho 3-chome, Toyonaka, Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Murai
- Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 1-1 Futabacho 3-chome, Toyonaka, Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yoshizawa
- Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 1-1 Futabacho 3-chome, Toyonaka, Osaka 561-0825, Japan
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30
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O’Hagan S, Kell DB. Structural Similarities between Some Common Fluorophores Used in Biology, Marketed Drugs, Endogenous Metabolites, and Natural Products. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E582. [PMID: 33238416 PMCID: PMC7700180 DOI: 10.3390/md18110582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is known that at least some fluorophores can act as 'surrogate' substrates for solute carriers (SLCs) involved in pharmaceutical drug uptake, and this promiscuity is taken to reflect at least a certain structural similarity. As part of a comprehensive study seeking the 'natural' substrates of 'orphan' transporters that also serve to take up pharmaceutical drugs into cells, we have noted that many drugs bear structural similarities to natural products. A cursory inspection of common fluorophores indicates that they too are surprisingly 'drug-like', and they also enter at least some cells. Some are also known to be substrates of efflux transporters. Consequently, we sought to assess the structural similarity of common fluorophores to marketed drugs, endogenous mammalian metabolites, and natural products. We used a set of some 150 fluorophores along with standard fingerprinting methods and the Tanimoto similarity metric. Results: The great majority of fluorophores tested exhibited significant similarity (Tanimoto similarity > 0.75) to at least one drug, as judged via descriptor properties (especially their aromaticity, for identifiable reasons that we explain), by molecular fingerprints, by visual inspection, and via the "quantitative estimate of drug likeness" technique. It is concluded that this set of fluorophores does overlap with a significant part of both the drug space and natural products space. Consequently, fluorophores do indeed offer a much wider opportunity than had possibly been realised to be used as surrogate uptake molecules in the competitive or trans-stimulation assay of membrane transporter activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve O’Hagan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess St, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Douglas B. Kell
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Molecular, Integrative and Systems Biology, Biosciences Building, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Building 220, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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31
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Poongavanam V, Atilaw Y, Ye S, Wieske LHE, Erdelyi M, Ermondi G, Caron G, Kihlberg J. Predicting the Permeability of Macrocycles from Conformational Sampling - Limitations of Molecular Flexibility. J Pharm Sci 2020; 110:301-313. [PMID: 33129836 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.10.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Macrocycles constitute superior ligands for targets that have flat binding sites but often require long synthetic routes, emphasizing the need for property prediction prior to synthesis. We have investigated the scope and limitations of machine learning classification models and of regression models for predicting the cell permeability of a set of denovo-designed, drug-like macrocycles. 2D-Based classification models, which are fast to calculate, discriminated between macrocycles that had low-medium and high permeability and may be used as virtual filters in early drug discovery projects. Importantly, stereo- and regioisomer were correctly classified. QSPR studies of two small sets of comparator drugs suggested that use of 3D descriptors, calculated from biologically relevant conformations, would allow development of more precise regression models for late phase drug projects. However, a 3D permeability model could only be developed for a rigid series of macrocycles. Comparison of NMR based conformational analysis with in silico conformational sampling indicated that this shortcoming originates from the inability of the molecular mechanics force field to identify the relevant conformations for flexible macrocycles. We speculate that a Kier flexibility index of ≤10 constitutes a current upper limit for reasonably accurate 3D prediction of macrocycle cell permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoseph Atilaw
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sofie Ye
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lianne H E Wieske
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mate Erdelyi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Giulia Caron
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy.
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden.
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32
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Agarwal P, Ishida K, Reid DL, Gupta A. Clearance prediction for Amgen molecules against Extended Clearance Classification System (ECCS) and future directions. Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:10-16. [PMID: 33075472 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Early prediction of elimination pathways for new chemical entities can have a profound impact on drug discovery programs. The recently proposed Extended Clearance Classification System (ECCS) is a step in the right direction, providing a framework to help identify the major elimination pathway of a drug. A list of 42 Amgen small molecules was evaluated against the ECCS framework to assess its performance in retrospectively predicting their major elimination pathway. Here, we present a critical analysis of the chemical space defined by the ECCS framework with the aim of identifying its applicability and constraints. This evaluation highlights the critical need for periodic review and revision of ECCS, given that target constraints are moving molecules away from the traditional 'drug-like' physicochemical space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Agarwal
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen, Inc., 360 Binney St, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Kazuya Ishida
- Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., 360 Binney St, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Darren L Reid
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen, Inc., 360 Binney St, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Anshul Gupta
- Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., 360 Binney St, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA.
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33
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Machine learning-guided discovery and design of non-hemolytic peptides. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16581. [PMID: 33024236 PMCID: PMC7538962 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73644-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reducing hurdles to clinical trials without compromising the therapeutic promises of peptide candidates becomes an essential step in peptide-based drug design. Machine-learning models are cost-effective and time-saving strategies used to predict biological activities from primary sequences. Their limitations lie in the diversity of peptide sequences and biological information within these models. Additional outlier detection methods are needed to set the boundaries for reliable predictions; the applicability domain. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute an extensive library of peptides offering promising avenues against antibiotic-resistant infections. Most AMPs present in clinical trials are administrated topically due to their hemolytic toxicity. Here we developed machine learning models and outlier detection methods that ensure robust predictions for the discovery of AMPs and the design of novel peptides with reduced hemolytic activity. Our best models, gradient boosting classifiers, predicted the hemolytic nature from any peptide sequence with 95–97% accuracy. Nearly 70% of AMPs were predicted as hemolytic peptides. Applying multivariate outlier detection models, we found that 273 AMPs (~ 9%) could not be predicted reliably. Our combined approach led to the discovery of 34 high-confidence non-hemolytic natural AMPs, the de novo design of 507 non-hemolytic peptides, and the guidelines for non-hemolytic peptide design.
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34
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Ermondi G, Vallaro M, Caron G. Degraders early developability assessment: face-to-face with molecular properties. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:1585-1591. [PMID: 32565163 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pharmaceutical scientists have huge expectations from heterobifunctional small molecule degraders to treat diseases with an unmet medical need. However, degraders are large and flexible and pose significant challenges in terms of cellular uptake and bioavailability. An efficient property-based design is therefore required to discover new oral degrader medicines. Here, we show the non‑transferability to degraders of in silico tools routinely implemented in small molecule drug discovery programs; and provide ionization, lipophilicity, polarity and chameleonicity data for a series of seven degraders. We also reveal that permeability can be modeled by Δlog kWIAM - an experimental polarity descriptor. Overall, the paper is a proof-of-concept that shows to discover new oral degrader drugs ad hoc property-based design strategies are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Ermondi
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept, CASSMedChem, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Maura Vallaro
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept, CASSMedChem, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Giulia Caron
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Dept, CASSMedChem, via Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy.
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35
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Le Roux A, Blaise É, Boudreault PL, Comeau C, Doucet A, Giarrusso M, Collin MP, Neubauer T, Kölling F, Göller AH, Seep L, Tshitenge DT, Wittwer M, Kullmann M, Hillisch A, Mittendorf J, Marsault E. Structure-Permeability Relationship of Semipeptidic Macrocycles-Understanding and Optimizing Passive Permeability and Efflux Ratio. J Med Chem 2020; 63:6774-6783. [PMID: 32453569 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
We herein report the first thorough analysis of the structure-permeability relationship of semipeptidic macrocycles. In total, 47 macrocycles were synthesized using a hybrid solid-phase/solution strategy, and then their passive and cellular permeability was assessed using the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) and Caco-2 assay, respectively. The results indicate that semipeptidic macrocycles generally possess high passive permeability based on the PAMPA, yet their cellular permeability is governed by efflux, as reported in the Caco-2 assay. Structural variations led to tractable structure-permeability and structure-efflux relationships, wherein the linker length, stereoinversion, N-methylation, and peptoids site-specifically impact the permeability and efflux. Extensive nuclear magnetic resonance, molecular dynamics, and ensemble-based three-dimensional polar surface area (3D-PSA) studies showed that ensemble-based 3D-PSA is a good predictor of passive permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Le Roux
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e av nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Émilie Blaise
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e av nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Pierre-Luc Boudreault
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e av nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Christian Comeau
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e av nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Annie Doucet
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e av nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Marilena Giarrusso
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e av nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | | | - Thomas Neubauer
- Drug Discovery, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Wuppertal D-42096, Germany
| | - Florian Kölling
- Drug Discovery, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Wuppertal D-42096, Germany
| | - Andreas H Göller
- Drug Discovery, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Wuppertal D-42096, Germany
| | - Lea Seep
- Drug Discovery, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Wuppertal D-42096, Germany
| | | | - Matthias Wittwer
- Drug Discovery, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Wuppertal D-42096, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Eric Marsault
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e av nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
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36
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Tinworth CP, Young RJ. Facts, Patterns, and Principles in Drug Discovery: Appraising the Rule of 5 with Measured Physicochemical Data. J Med Chem 2020; 63:10091-10108. [PMID: 32324397 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The rule of 5 was designed to estimate the likelihood of poor absorption or permeation, noting the impact of poor solubility. This Perspective explores the impact of various physicochemical descriptors and contemporary lipophilicity measurements on permeability and solubility, showing that the distribution coefficient log D7.4 (rather than log P) is the most impactful parameter. Molecular weight, almost invariably the defining characteristic of "beyond the rule of 5" compounds, has little impact on solubility when log D7.4 measurements and aromaticity are considered. Predicting permeation is more complex, given passive and carrier transport mechanisms; however, notable patterns of behavior are apparent, giving insight even "beyond the rule of 5". Recommended best practices should involve using the facts (measurements) and the patterns they reveal to establish informative principles rather than fastidious rules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Tinworth
- Medicinal Sciences and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Robert J Young
- Medicinal Sciences and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K.,Blue Burgundy Ltd., Bedford, Bedfordshire MK45 2AD, U.K
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37
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Danelius E, Poongavanam V, Peintner S, Wieske LHE, Erdélyi M, Kihlberg J. Solution Conformations Explain the Chameleonic Behaviour of Macrocyclic Drugs. Chemistry 2020; 26:5231-5244. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201905599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Danelius
- Department of Chemistry-BMCUppsala University 75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - Stefan Peintner
- Department of Chemistry-BMCUppsala University 75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - Máté Erdélyi
- Department of Chemistry-BMCUppsala University 75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry-BMCUppsala University 75123 Uppsala Sweden
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38
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Updating the portfolio of physicochemical descriptors related to permeability in the beyond the rule of 5 chemical space. Eur J Pharm Sci 2020; 146:105274. [PMID: 32088315 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2020.105274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Beyond rule of 5 (bRo5) molecules are attracting significant interest in modern drug discovery mostly because many novel targets require large and more flexible structures. The main aim of this paper is the identification of ad hoc bRo5 physicochemical descriptors of ionization, lipophilicity, polarity and chameleonicity and their measurement. We used different methods to collect ionization (pKa measures and log k'80 PLRP-S trends), lipophilicity (in octanol/water, in apolar systems and in biomimetic environments), polarity (Δlog Poct-tol, EPSA and Δlog KWIAM) and chameleonicity (ChameLogD) descriptors for 26 bRo5 drugs. A second aim was to check the relationship between physicochemical descriptors and permeability for a subset of compounds for which solid permeability values are reported in the literature. Results showed that the physicochemical profile in the bRo5 chemical space is often experimentally accessible, albeit more tools are required to overcome limitations of individual methods. For the investigated compounds, permeability is governed by Δlog Poct-tol and preliminary data support that chameleonicity could also have an impact.
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39
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Liras S, Mcclure KF. Permeability of Cyclic Peptide Macrocycles and Cyclotides and Their Potential as Therapeutics. ACS Med Chem Lett 2019; 10:1026-1032. [PMID: 31312403 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrocycles have emerged as a viable approach for the modulation of tough targets in drug discovery. In this Innovations article we discuss recent progress toward the design of cell permeable and orally bioavailable peptide macrocycles and cyclotides and provide a perspective for their potential as therapeutics. We highlight design concepts that may be broadly relevant to drug discovery efforts beyond the rule of five.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spiros Liras
- Biogen Inc., 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Kim F. Mcclure
- Pinteon Therapeutics, 1188 Centre Street, Newton Centre, Massachusetts 02549, United States
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40
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Abstract
Aim: To set up a chromatographic strategy for the determination of log P for beyond Rule of 5 (bRo5) drugs. Materials & methods: Capacity factors measured by reverse phase-HPLC. Balance of intermolecular interactions governing systems assessed by partial least squares regression (PLSR) coupled with block relevance anaysis (PLSR-BR) and multiblock PLSR (MBPLSR). Determination of virtual log P obtained through conformational sampling. Results: log k′60 is highly correlated with log P for a dataset of 36 Ro5 compliant compounds (R2 = 0.93, Q2 = 0.90). We refer to the value generated via this method as BRlogP. The balance of intermolecular forces controlling BRlogP and log P are very similar. The ElogPs measured for the bRo5 dataset are significantly higher than corresponding BRlogP. Conclusion: The combination of BRlogP and ElogP provides an experimental lipophilicity range for bRo5 compounds.
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41
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Application of biomimetic HPLC to estimate in vivo behavior of early drug discovery compounds. FUTURE DRUG DISCOVERY 2019. [DOI: 10.4155/fdd-2019-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterizing the properties of large numbers of compounds and estimating their potential absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination properties are important early stages in the process of drug discovery and help to reduce later stage attrition. The chromatographic separation principles using stationary phases that contain proteins and phospholipids are more suitable for compound characterization and estimation of the pharmacokinetic properties than the traditional octanol/water partition coefficient. This technology, when standardized, enables the prediction of in vivo behavior and the selection of compounds with the best potential, thus reducing the number of animal experiments. Chromatography may be involved more widely in the future to measure kinetic aspects of compounds’ binding to proteins and receptors which would enable designing compounds that require a lower frequency of doses and have more predictable pharmacokinetic profiles.
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42
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Ono S, Naylor MR, Townsend CE, Okumura C, Okada O, Lokey RS. Conformation and Permeability: Cyclic Hexapeptide Diastereomers. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 59:2952-2963. [PMID: 31042375 PMCID: PMC7751304 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Conformational ensembles of eight cyclic hexapeptide diastereomers in explicit cyclohexane, chloroform, and water were analyzed by multicanonical molecular dynamics (McMD) simulations. Free-energy landscapes (FELs) for each compound and solvent were obtained from the molecular shapes and principal component analysis at T = 300 K; detailed analysis of the conformational ensembles and flexibility of the FELs revealed that permeable compounds have different structural profiles even for a single stereoisomeric change. The average solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) in cyclohexane showed excellent correlation with the cell permeability, whereas this correlation was weaker in chloroform. The average SASA in water correlated with the aqueous solubility. The average polar surface area did not correlate with cell permeability in these solvents. A possible strategy for designing permeable cyclic peptides from FELs obtained from McMD simulations is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ono
- Modality Laboratories, Innovative Research Division,
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000, Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama,
Kanagawa 227-0033, Japan
| | - Matthew R. Naylor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United
States
| | - Chad E. Townsend
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United
States
| | - Chieko Okumura
- Modality Laboratories, Innovative Research Division,
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000, Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama,
Kanagawa 227-0033, Japan
| | - Okimasa Okada
- Modality Laboratories, Innovative Research Division,
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 1000, Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama,
Kanagawa 227-0033, Japan
| | - R. Scott Lokey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United
States
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43
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Gonzalez TL, Moos RK, Gersch CL, Johnson MD, Richardson RJ, Koch HM, Rae JM. Metabolites of n-Butylparaben and iso-Butylparaben Exhibit Estrogenic Properties in MCF-7 and T47D Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Toxicol Sci 2019; 164:50-59. [PMID: 29945225 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Two oxidized metabolites of n-butylparaben (BuP) and iso-butylparaben (IsoBuP) discovered in human urine samples exhibit structural similarity to endogenous estrogens. We hypothesized that these metabolites bind to the human estrogen receptor (ER) and promote estrogen signaling. We tested this using models of ER-mediated cellular proliferation. The estrogenic properties of 3-hydroxy n-butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (3OH) and 2-hydroxy iso-butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (2OH) were determined using the ER-positive, estrogen-dependent human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, and T47D. The 3OH metabolite induced cellular proliferation with EC50 of 8.2 µM in MCF-7 cells. The EC50 for 3OH in T47D cells could not be reached. The 2OH metabolite induced proliferation with EC50 of 2.2 µM and 43.0 µM in MCF-7 and T47D cells, respectively. The EC50 for the parental IsoBuP and BuP was 0.30 and 1.2 µM in MCF-7 cells, respectively. The expression of a pro-proliferative, estrogen-inducible gene (GREB1) was induced by these compounds and blocked by co-administration of an ER antagonist (ICI 182, 780), confirming the ER-dependence of these effects. The metabolites promoted significant ER-dependent transcriptional activity of an ERE-luciferase reporter construct at 10 and 20 µM for 2OH and 10 µM for 3OH. Computational docking studies showed that the paraben compounds exhibited the potential for favorable ligand-binding domain interactions with human ERα in a manner similar to known x-ray crystal structures of 17ß-estradiol in complex with ERα. We conclude that the hydroxylated metabolites of BuP and IsoBuP are weak estrogens and should be considered as additional components of potential endocrine disrupting effects upon paraben exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L Gonzalez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Rebecca K Moos
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum 44789, Germany
| | - Christina L Gersch
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Michael D Johnson
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia 20057
| | - Rudy J Richardson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.,Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Holger M Koch
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr Universität Bochum (IPA), Bochum 44789, Germany
| | - James M Rae
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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44
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Clinical candidates modulating protein-protein interactions: The fragment-based experience. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 167:76-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.01.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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45
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Anderson CM, Cardenas A, Elber R, Webb LJ. Preferential Equilibrium Partitioning of Positively Charged Tryptophan into Phosphatidylcholine Bilayer Membranes. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:170-179. [PMID: 30481465 PMCID: PMC6331081 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b09872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The interactions between small molecules and lipid bilayers play a critical role in the function of cellular membranes. Understanding how a small molecule interacts with the lipid bilayer differently based on its charge reveals primordial mechanisms of transport across membranes and assists in the design of drug molecules that can penetrate cells. We have previously reported that tryptophan permeated through a phosphatidylcholine lipid bilayer membrane at a faster rate when it was positively charged (Trp+) than when negatively charged (Trp-), which corresponded to a lower potential of mean force (PMF) barrier determined through simulations. In this report, we demonstrate that Trp+ partitions into the lipid bilayer membrane to a greater degree than Trp- by interacting with the ester linkage of a phosphatidylcholine lipid, where it is stabilized by the electron withdrawing glycerol functional group. These results are in agreement with tryptophan's known role as an anchor for transmembrane proteins, though the tendency for binding of a positively charged tryptophan is surprising. We discuss the implications of our results on the mechanisms of unassisted permeation and penetration of small molecules within and across lipid bilayer membranes based on molecular charge, shape, and molecular interactions within the bilayer structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cari M. Anderson
- Department
of Chemistry, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Institute for Cellular
and Molecular Biology, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2506 Speedway STOP A5300, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Alfredo Cardenas
- Department
of Chemistry, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Institute for Cellular
and Molecular Biology, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2506 Speedway STOP A5300, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Ron Elber
- Department
of Chemistry, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Institute for Cellular
and Molecular Biology, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2506 Speedway STOP A5300, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Lauren J. Webb
- Department
of Chemistry, Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Institute for Cellular
and Molecular Biology, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2506 Speedway STOP A5300, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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46
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Abstract
One of the most exciting facets of cyclic peptides is that they have the potential to be orally bioavailable, despite having physical properties well beyond the traditional "Rule-of-5" chemistry space (Lipinski et al., Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 23(1): 3-25, 1997). An important component of meeting this challenge is to design cyclic peptides with good intestinal permeability. Here we discuss the design principles for intestinal permeability that have been developed in recent year. These principles can be subdivided into three regimes: physical property guidelines, design strategies for the macrocyclic ring, and design strategies for side chains. The most important overall aims are to minimize solvent-exposed polarity while keeping size, flexibility, and lipophilicity within favorable ranges, thereby allowing peptide chemists to achieve intestinal permeability in addition to other important properties for their compounds, such as solubility and binding affinity. Here we describe a variety of design strategies that have been developed to help peptide chemists in this endeavor.
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47
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Poongavanam V, Danelius E, Peintner S, Alcaraz L, Caron G, Cummings MD, Wlodek S, Erdelyi M, Hawkins PCD, Ermondi G, Kihlberg J. Conformational Sampling of Macrocyclic Drugs in Different Environments: Can We Find the Relevant Conformations? ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:11742-11757. [PMID: 30320271 PMCID: PMC6173504 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Conformational flexibility is a major determinant of the properties of macrocycles and other drugs in beyond rule of 5 (bRo5) space. Prediction of conformations is essential for design of drugs in this space, and we have evaluated three tools for conformational sampling of a set of 10 bRo5 drugs and clinical candidates in polar and apolar environments. The distance-geometry based OMEGA was found to yield ensembles spanning larger structure and property spaces than the ensembles obtained by MOE-LowModeMD (MOE) and MacroModel (MC). Both MC and OMEGA but not MOE generated different ensembles for polar and apolar environments. All three conformational search methods generated conformers similar to the crystal structure conformers for 9 of the 10 compounds, with OMEGA performing somewhat better than MOE and MC. MOE and OMEGA found all six conformers of roxithromycin that were identified by NMR in aqueous solutions, whereas only OMEGA sampled the three conformers observed in chloroform. We suggest that characterization of conformers using molecular descriptors, e.g., the radius of gyration and polar surface area, is preferred to energy- or root-mean-square deviation-based methods for selection of biologically relevant conformers in drug discovery in bRo5 space.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Danelius
- Department
of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University
of Gothenburg, Kemivägen
10, SE-41296 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Stefan Peintner
- Department
of Chemistry—BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lilian Alcaraz
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, One Chapel Place, London W1G 0BG, U.K.
| | - Giulia Caron
- Department
of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Maxwell D. Cummings
- Janssen
Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Stanislaw Wlodek
- OpenEye
Scientific Software, 9 Bisbee Court, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508, United States
| | - Mate Erdelyi
- Department
of Chemistry—BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
- The
Swedish NMR Centre, Medicinaregatan
5, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Paul C. D. Hawkins
- OpenEye
Scientific Software, 9 Bisbee Court, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508, United States
| | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- Department
of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Quarello 15, 10135 Torino, Italy
- E-mail: . Phone: +39 (0)11 6708337 (G.E.)
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department
of Chemistry—BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, SE-75123 Uppsala, Sweden
- E-mail: . Phone: +46 (0)18 4713801 (J.K.)
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48
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Chen T, Reich NW, Bell N, Finn PD, Rodriguez D, Kohler J, Kozuka K, He L, Spencer AG, Charmot D, Navre M, Carreras CW, Koo-McCoy S, Tabora J, Caldwell JS, Jacobs JW, Lewis JG. Design of Gut-Restricted Thiazolidine Agonists of G Protein-Coupled Bile Acid Receptor 1 (GPBAR1, TGR5). J Med Chem 2018; 61:7589-7613. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Chen
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | | | - Noah Bell
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Patricia D. Finn
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - David Rodriguez
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Jill Kohler
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Kenji Kozuka
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Limin He
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Andrew G. Spencer
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Dominique Charmot
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Marc Navre
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | | | - Samantha Koo-McCoy
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Jocelyn Tabora
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Jeremy S. Caldwell
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Jeffrey W. Jacobs
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
| | - Jason Gustaf Lewis
- Ardelyx, Inc., 34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California 94555, United States
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49
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Poongavanam V, Doak BC, Kihlberg J. Opportunities and guidelines for discovery of orally absorbed drugs in beyond rule of 5 space. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 44:23-29. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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50
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Rossi Sebastiano M, Doak BC, Backlund M, Poongavanam V, Over B, Ermondi G, Caron G, Matsson P, Kihlberg J. Impact of Dynamically Exposed Polarity on Permeability and Solubility of Chameleonic Drugs Beyond the Rule of 5. J Med Chem 2018; 61:4189-4202. [PMID: 29608068 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Conformational flexibility has been proposed to significantly affect drug properties outside rule-of-5 (Ro5) chemical space. Here, we investigated the influence of dynamically exposed polarity on cell permeability and aqueous solubility for a structurally diverse set of drugs and clinical candidates far beyond the Ro5, all of which populated multiple distinct conformations as revealed by X-ray crystallography. Efflux-inhibited (passive) Caco-2 cell permeability correlated strongly with the compounds' minimum solvent-accessible 3D polar surface areas (PSA), whereas aqueous solubility depended less on the specific 3D conformation. Inspection of the crystal structures highlighted flexibly linked aromatic side chains and dynamically forming intramolecular hydrogen bonds as particularly effective in providing "chameleonic" properties that allow compounds to display both high cell permeability and aqueous solubility. These structural features, in combination with permeability predictions based on the correlation to solvent-accessible 3D PSA, should inspire drug design in the challenging chemical space far beyond the Ro5.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bradley C Doak
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, MIPS , Monash University , 381 Royal Parade , Parkville , Victoria 3052 , Australia
| | - Maria Backlund
- Uppsala University Drug Optimization and Pharmaceutical Profiling Platform (UDOPP), a Node at the Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, BMC , Uppsala University , Box 580, SE-751 23 Uppsala , Sweden
| | | | - Björn Over
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit , AstraZeneca R&D Gothenburg , SE-431 83 Mölndal , Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences , University of Torino , Quarello 15 , 10135 Torino , Italy
| | - Giulia Caron
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences , University of Torino , Quarello 15 , 10135 Torino , Italy
| | - Pär Matsson
- Department of Pharmacy, BMC , Uppsala University , Box 580, SE-751 23 Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC , Uppsala University , Box 576, SE-751 23 Uppsala , Sweden
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