Publications by authors named "Nicolas J Kapecki"

TAM receptor tyrosine kinases have emerged as promising therapeutic targets for cancer treatment due to their roles in both tumor intrinsic survival mechanisms and suppression of antitumor immunity within the tumor microenvironment. Inhibiting MerTK and Axl selectively is believed to hinder cancer cell survival, reverse the protumor myeloid phenotype, and suppress efferocytosis, thereby eliciting an antitumor immune response. In this study, we present the discovery of , a highly potent and selective dual MerTK/Axl inhibitor, achieved through a structure-based medicinal chemistry campaign.

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A HTS campaign identified compound 1, an excellent hit-like molecule to initiate medicinal chemistry efforts to optimize a dual ROCK1 and ROCK2 inhibitor. Substitution (2-Cl, 2-NH, 2-F, 3-F) of the pyridine hinge binding motif or replacement with pyrimidine afforded compounds with a clean CYP inhibition profile. Cocrystal structures of an early lead compound were obtained in PKA, ROCK1, and ROCK2.

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