Tissue distribution and retention drives efficacy of rapidly clearing VHL-based PROTACs.

Background: Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are being developed for therapeutic use. However, they have poor pharmacokinetic profiles and their tissue distribution kinetics are not known.

Methods: A typical von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL)-PROTAC C-A947 (BRM degrader)-was synthesized and its tissue distribution kinetics was studied by quantitative whole-body autoradiography (QWBA) and tissue excision in rats following IV dosing.

The HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate DHES0815A in advanced and/or metastatic breast cancer: preclinical characterization and phase 1 trial results.

Approved antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for HER2-positive breast cancer include trastuzumab emtansine and trastuzumab deruxtecan. To develop a differentiated HER2 ADC, we chose an antibody that does not compete with trastuzumab or pertuzumab for binding, conjugated to a reduced potency PBD (pyrrolobenzodiazepine) dimer payload. PBDs are potent cytotoxic agents that alkylate and cross-link DNA.

Development of Liposome Systems for Enhancing the PK Properties of Bivalent PROTACs.

Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are a promising new technology in drug development. They have rapidly evolved in recent years, with several of them in clinical trials. While most of these advances have been associated with monovalent protein degraders, bivalent PROTACs have also entered clinical trials, although progression to market has been limited.

Cryo-EM reveals an unprecedented binding site for Na1.7 inhibitors enabling rational design of potent hybrid inhibitors.

The voltage-gated sodium (Na) channel Na1.7 has been identified as a potential novel analgesic target due to its involvement in human pain syndromes. However, clinically available Na channel-blocking drugs are not selective among the nine Na channel subtypes, Na1.

Degrader-antibody conjugates.

Degrader-antibody conjugates (DACs) are novel entities that combine a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) payload with a monoclonal antibody some type of chemical linker. This review provides a current summary of the DAC field. Many general aspects associated with the creation and biological performance of traditional cytotoxic antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are initially presented.

Antibody-Drug Conjugates for Immunology.

The application of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to fields outside of oncology is increasing but is still relatively uncommon. A recent publication describes the conjugation of glucocorticoid receptor modulators to antibodies as a means of improving the separation between desired anti-inflammatory activity and unwanted systemic side effects.

Small-Molecule Lead-Finding Trends across the Roche and Genentech Research Organizations.

The origin of small-molecule leads that were pursued across the independent research organizations Roche and Genentech from 2009 to 2020 is described. The identified chemical series are derived from a variety of lead-finding methods, which include public information, high-throughput screening (both full file and focused), fragment-based design, DNA-encoded library technology, use of legacy internal data, in-licensing, and de novo design (often structure-based). The translation of the lead series into in vivo tool compounds and development candidates is discussed as are the associated biological target classes and corresponding therapeutic areas.

Structure-based optimization of hydroxylactam as potent, cell-active inhibitors of lactate dehydrogenase.

Structure-based design was utilized to optimize 6,6-diaryl substituted dihydropyrone and hydroxylactam to obtain inhibitors of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) with low nanomolar biochemical and single-digit micromolar cellular potencies. Surprisingly the replacement of a phenyl with a pyridyl moiety in the chemical structure revealed a new binding mode for the inhibitors with subtle conformational change of the LDHA active site. This led to the identification of a potent, cell-active hydroxylactam inhibitor exhibiting an in vivo pharmacokinetic profile suitable for mouse tumor xenograft study.

Calicheamicin Antibody-Drug Conjugates with Improved Properties.

Calicheamicin antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are effective therapeutics for leukemias with two recently approved in the United States: Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin) targeting CD33 for acute myeloid leukemia and Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin) targeting CD22 for acute lymphocytic leukemia. Both of these calicheamicin ADCs are heterogeneous, aggregation-prone, and have a shortened half-life due to the instability of the acid-sensitive hydrazone linker in circulation. We hypothesized that we could improve upon the heterogeneity, aggregation, and circulation stability of calicheamicin ADCs by directly attaching the thiol of a reduced calicheamicin to an engineered cysteine on the antibody via a disulfide bond to generate a linkerless and traceless conjugate.

Antibody-Mediated Delivery of Chimeric BRD4 Degraders. Part 2: Improvement of In Vitro Antiproliferation Activity and In Vivo Antitumor Efficacy.

Heterobifunctional compounds that direct the ubiquitination of intracellular proteins in a targeted manner via co-opted ubiquitin ligases have enormous potential to transform the field of medicinal chemistry. These chimeric molecules, often termed proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in the chemical literature, enable the controlled degradation of specific proteins via their direction to the cellular proteasome. In this report, we describe the second phase of our research focused on exploring antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which incorporate BRD4-targeting chimeric degrader entities.

Antibody-Mediated Delivery of Chimeric BRD4 Degraders. Part 1: Exploration of Antibody Linker, Payload Loading, and Payload Molecular Properties.

The biological and medicinal impacts of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and related chimeric molecules that effect intracellular degradation of target proteins via ubiquitin ligase-mediated ubiquitination continue to grow. However, these chimeric entities are relatively large compounds that often possess molecular characteristics, which may compromise oral bioavailability, solubility, and/or in vivo pharmacokinetic properties. We therefore explored the conjugation of such molecules to monoclonal antibodies using technologies originally developed for cytotoxic payloads so as to provide alternate delivery options for these novel agents.

Preclinical optimization of Ly6E-targeted ADCs for increased durability and efficacy of anti-tumor response.

Early success with brentuximab vedotin in treating classical Hodgkin lymphoma spurred an influx of at least 20 monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) into clinical trials. While three MMAE-ADCs have been approved, most of these conjugates are no longer being investigated in clinical trials. Some auristatin conjugates show limited or no efficacy at tolerated doses, but even for drugs driving initial remissions, tumor regrowth and metastasis often rapidly occur.

An Anti-CD22--CBI-Dimer Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) for the Treatment of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma That Provides a Longer Duration of Response than Auristatin-Based ADCs in Preclinical Models.

We are interested in developing a second generation of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that could provide a longer duration of response and be more effective in indolent NHL than the microtubule-inhibiting ADCs pinatuzumab vedotin [anti-CD22-vc-monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE)] and polatuzumab vedotin (anti-CD79b-vc-MMAE). Pinatuzumab vedotin (anti-CD22-vc-MMAE) and polatuzumab vedotin (anti-CD79b-vc-MMAE) are ADCs that contain the microtubule inhibitor MMAE. Clinical trial data suggest that these ADCs have promising efficacy for the treatment of NHL; however, some patients do not respond or become resistant to the ADCs.

Systematic Variation of Pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-Dimer Payload Physicochemical Properties Impacts Efficacy and Tolerability of the Corresponding Antibody-Drug Conjugates.

Cytotoxic pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-dimer molecules are frequently utilized as payloads for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and many examples are currently in clinical development. In order to further explore this ADC payload class, the physicochemical properties of various PBD-dimer molecules were modified by the systematic introduction of acidic and basic moieties into their chemical structures. The impact of these changes on DNA binding, cell membrane permeability, and antiproliferation potency was, respectively, determined using a DNA alkylation assay, PAMPA assessments, and cell-based cytotoxicity measurements conducted with a variety of cancer lines.

Improved translation of stability for conjugated antibodies using an in vitro whole blood assay.

For antibody-drug conjugates to be efficacious and safe, they must be stable in circulation to carry the payload to the site of the targeted cell. Several components of a drug-conjugated antibody are known to influence stability: 1) the site of drug attachment on the antibody, 2) the linker used to attach the payload to the antibody, and 3) the payload itself. In order to support the design and optimization of a high volume of drug conjugates and avoid unstable conjugates prior to testing in animal models, we wanted to proactively identify these potential liabilities.

Antibody-mediated delivery of chimeric protein degraders which target estrogen receptor alpha (ERα).

Chimeric molecules which effect intracellular degradation of target proteins via E3 ligase-mediated ubiquitination (e.g., PROTACs) are currently of high interest in medicinal chemistry.

Antibody Conjugation of a Chimeric BET Degrader Enables in vivo Activity.

The ability to selectively degrade proteins with bifunctional small molecules has the potential to fundamentally alter therapy in a variety of diseases. However, the relatively large size of these chimeric molecules often results in challenging physico-chemical properties (e. g.

Exposure-Efficacy Analysis of Antibody-Drug Conjugates Delivering an Excessive Level of Payload to Tissues.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) contain a disease-receptor antibody and a payload drug connected via a linker. The payload delivery depends on both tumor properties and ADC characteristics. In this study, we used different linkers, attachment sites, and doses to modulate payload delivery of several ADCs bearing maytansinoids (e.

Catalytic Cleavage of Disulfide Bonds in Small Molecules and Linkers of Antibody-Drug Conjugates.

In cells, catalytic disulfide cleavage is an essential mechanism in protein folding and synthesis. However, detailed enzymatic catalytic mechanism relating cleavage of disulfide bonds in xenobiotics is not well understood. This study reports an enzymatic mechanism of cleavage of disulfide bonds in xenobiotic small molecules and antibody conjugate (ADC) linkers.

Carfilzomib Is Not an Appropriate Payload of Antibody-Drug Conjugates Due to Rapid Inactivation by Lysosomal Enzymes.

Carfilzomib (CFZ) is a proteasome inhibitor used for oncology indications including treating multiple myeloma. CFZ is a potent cytotoxic agent with an IC value in the nanomolar range in various cancer cell lines and was considered as a potential payload for antibody drug conjugates (ADCs); however, the conjugated CFZ to anti-CD22 or anti-HER2 antibody totally abolishes the in vitro potency. This was a surprise since with other payloads such as monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), where potent antiproliferation efficacy was retained as MMAE alone or as a payload in an ADC.

Antibody-Drug Conjugates Derived from Cytotoxic seco-CBI-Dimer Payloads Are Highly Efficacious in Xenograft Models and Form Protein Adducts In Vivo.

This work discloses the first examples of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that are constructed from linker-drugs bearing dimeric seco-CBI payloads (duocarmycin analogs). Several homogeneous, CD22-targeting THIOMAB antibody-drug conjugates (TDCs) containing the dimeric seco-CBI entities are shown to be highly efficacious in the WSU-DLCL2 and BJAB mouse xenograft models. Surprisingly, the seco-CBI-containing conjugates are also observed to undergo significant biotransformation in vivo in mice, rats, and monkeys and thereby form 1:1 adducts with the Alpha-1-Microglobulin (A1M) plasma protein from these species.

A Novel Depurination Methodology to Assess DNA Alkylation of Chloro-Bis-Seco-Cyclopropylbenzoindoles Allowed for Comparison of Minor-Groove Reactivity.

Duocarmycins [including cyclopropyl pyrroloindole (CPI) or cyclopropyl benzoindole (CBI)] are a class of DNA minor-groove alkylators and seco-CPI/CBIs are synthetic pro-forms that can spirocyclize to CPI/CBI. Bis-CPI/CBIs are potential drug candidates because of their enhanced cytotoxicity from DNA crosslinking, but it is difficult to analyze them for structure-activity correlation because of their DNA reactivity. To study their DNA alkylation, neutral thermal hydrolysis has been frequently applied to process depurination.

Preclinical assessment of the ADME, efficacy and drug-drug interaction potential of a novel NAMPT inhibitor.

GNE-617 (-(4-((3,5-difluorophenyl)sulfonyl)benzyl)imidazo[1,2-]pyridine-6-carboxamide) is a potent, selective nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibitor being explored as a potential treatment for human cancers. Plasma clearance was low in monkeys and dogs (9.14 mL minkg and 4.