Design, Synthesis, and In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Cereblon Binding Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) Degrader CD79b Targeted Antibody-Drug Conjugates.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are an established modality that allow for targeted delivery of a potent molecule, or payload, to a desired site of action. ADCs, wherein the payload is a targeted protein degrader, are an emerging area in the field. Herein we describe our efforts of delivering a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) bifunctional degrader via a CD79b mAb (monoclonal antibody) where the degrader is linked at the ligase binding portion of the payload via a cleavable linker to the mAb.

Discovery of Potent and Selective Antibody-Drug Conjugates with Eg5 Inhibitors through Linker and Payload Optimization.

Targeted antimitotic agents are a promising class of anticancer therapies. Herein, we describe the development of a potent and selective antimitotic Eg5 inhibitor based antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). Preliminary studies were performed using proprietary Eg5 inhibitors which were conjugated onto a HER2-targeting antibody using maleimido caproyl valine-citrulline para-amino benzocarbamate, or MC-VC-PABC cleavable linker.

Benzimidazolyl-pyrazolo[3,4-]pyridinones, Selective Inhibitors of MOLT-4 Leukemia Cell Growth and Sea Urchin Embryo Spiculogenesis: Target Quest.

1,3-Substituted pyrazolo[3,4-]pyridinones - were synthesized by a three-component condensation of Meldrum's acid with aryl aldehydes and 1,3-substituted 5-aminopyrazoles. Their biological activity was evaluated using the phenotypic sea urchin embryo assay and the cytotoxicity screen against human cancer cell lines. In the sea urchin embryo model, 1-benzimidazolyl-pyrazolo[3,4-]pyridinones caused inhibition of hatching and spiculogenesis at sub-micromolar concentrations.

Modular synthesis and modification of novel bifunctional dendrons.

Herein, we report the design and synthesis of two novel bifunctional dendrons bearing multiple amine termini at the periphery and an azide at the focal point. Copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition enabled modular dendritic scaffold assembly resulting in a first generation dendron carrying six amines and a second generation dendron carrying eighteen amines. Peripheral amines were labeled with multiple copies of a metal isotope, whereas the azide functionality at the focal point was employed in conjugation to a single anti-human CD4 antibody.

Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase Inhibitor as a Novel Payload for Antibody-Drug Conjugates.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a novel modality that allows targeted delivery of potent therapeutic agents to the desired site. Herein we report our discovery of NAMPT inhibitors as a novel nonantimitotic payload for ADCs. The resulting anti-c-Kit conjugates ( and ) demonstrated efficacy in the c-Kit positive gastrointestinal stromal tumor GIST-T1 xenograft model in a target-dependent manner.

Optimization of a Dibenzodiazepine Hit to a Potent and Selective Allosteric PAK1 Inhibitor.

The discovery of inhibitors targeting novel allosteric kinase sites is very challenging. Such compounds, however, once identified could offer exquisite levels of selectivity across the kinome. Herein we report our structure-based optimization strategy of a dibenzodiazepine hit 1, discovered in a fragment-based screen, yielding highly potent and selective inhibitors of PAK1 such as 2 and 3.

Synthesis of new bulky bis(pyrazolyl)methane carboxylate (heteroscorpionate) ligands and their complexes with iron, manganese and nickel.

Three new sterically demanding ligands based on the bispyrazolylacetic acid motif have been prepared and complexes with Fe(II), Fe(III), Ni(II) and Mn(II) have been synthesised and characterised. Single crystal X-ray structures are included for two of the ligands in the protonated form and ten other complexes. Additionally, a new general route to amide derivatives has been established, a range of amide derivatives synthesised and their coordination chemistry investigated.

2,6-Bis(5-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine as a ligand for efficient actinide(III)/lanthanide(III) separation.

The N-donor complexing ligand 2,6-bis(5-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine (C5-BPP) was synthesized and screened as an extracting agent selective for trivalent actinide cations over lanthanides. C5-BPP extracts Am(III) from up to 1 mol/L HNO(3) with a separation factor over Eu(III) of approximately 100. Due to its good performance as an extracting agent, the complexation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides with C5-BPP was studied.

A diversity oriented four-component approach to tetrahydro-beta-carbolines initiated by Sonogashira coupling.

A consecutive four-component synthesis of highly-substituted tetrahydro-beta-carbolines can be achieved by a coupling-aminatio-aza-annulation-Pictet-Spengler (CAAPS) sequence creating five new sigma-bonds and four new stereocenters in a one-pot fashion. The structures were unambiguously supported by X-ray structure analyses.

A novel one-pot three-component synthesis of 3-halofurans and sequential Suzuki coupling.

A novel sequence of Sonogashira coupling and electrophilic addition to an ynone, with concomitant deprotection and cyclocondensation, opens a new one-pot synthesis of 3-halofurans; the method can be readily elaborated to a new sequential Sonogashira-addition-cyclocondensation-Suzuki reaction to furnish 2,3,5-trisubstituted furans in a one-pot fashion.

A novel one-pot four-component access to tetrahydro-beta-carbolines by a coupling-amination-aza-annulation-Pictet-Spengler sequence (CAAPS).

The four-component coupling-amination-aza-annulation-Pictet-Spengler (CAAPS) sequence of acid chlorides 1, terminal alkynes 2, tryptamine derivatives 6, and acryloyl chloride derivatives 4 represents a facile and rapid one-pot access to tetrahydro-beta-carbolines 7 in moderate to good yields.

New entry to a three-component pyrimidine synthesis by TMS-Ynones via Sonogashira coupling.

[reaction: see text] TMS-ynones are versatile synthetic equivalents of beta-keto aldehydes and can be readily synthesized in an atom-economical fashion by coupling (het)aroyl chlorides and (TMS)-acetylene with only one equiv (!) of triethylamine under Sonogashira conditions. This mild ynone synthesis is also a suitable entry to 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidines in the sense of a one-pot three-component reaction, i.e.

Facile one-pot coupling-aminovinylation approach to push-pull chromophores: alkyne activation by sonogashira coupling.

A straightforward coupling-aminovinylation sequence of terminal alkynes 1, electron-deficient heteroaryl halides 2, and secondary amines 4 furnishes highly solvochromic push-pull chromophores 5 in good yields. Semiempirical calculations (PM3) suggest that the aminovinylation proceeds in a stepwise fashion through a zwitterionic intermediate with a final rate-determining intramolecular protonation. Crucial parameters for the success of the amine addition are the relative LUMO energies and the charge distribution at the beta-alkynyl carbon atom.