Patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd), a novel HER3 directed antibody drug conjugate, exhibits in vitro activity against breast cancer cells expressing HER3 mutations with and without HER2 overexpression.

ErbB3 (HER3), a member of the HER family, is overexpressed in various cancers and plays an important role in cell proliferation and survival. Certain HER3 mutations have also been identified as oncogenic drivers, making them potential therapeutic targets. In the current study, antitumor activity of patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd), a HER3 directed antibody drug conjugate, was evaluated in tumor models with clinically reported HER3 mutations.

EGFR Inhibition Enhances the Cellular Uptake and Antitumor-Activity of the HER3 Antibody-Drug Conjugate HER3-DXd.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are the standard-of-care treatment for -mutant non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). However, most patients develop acquired drug resistance to EGFR TKIs. HER3 is a unique pseudokinase member of the ERBB family that functions by dimerizing with other ERBB family members (EGFR and HER2) and is frequently overexpressed in -mutant NSCLC.

A Novel HER3-Targeting Antibody-Drug Conjugate, U3-1402, Exhibits Potent Therapeutic Efficacy through the Delivery of Cytotoxic Payload by Efficient Internalization.

Purpose: HER3 is a compelling target for cancer treatment; however, no HER3-targeted therapy is currently clinically available. Here, we produced U3-1402, an anti-HER3 antibody-drug conjugate with a topoisomerase I inhibitor exatecan derivative (DXd), and systematically investigated its targeted drug delivery potential and antitumor activity in preclinical models.

Experimental Design: pharmacologic activities and the mechanisms of action of U3-1402 were assessed in several human cancer cell lines.

Preclinical therapeutic efficacy of a novel blood-brain barrier-penetrant dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor with preferential response in PI3K/PTEN mutant glioma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an ideal candidate disease for signal transduction targeted therapy because the majority of these tumors harbor genetic alterations that result in aberrant activation of growth factor signaling pathways. Loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 10, mutations in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, and PI3K mutations are molecular hallmarks of GBM and indicate poor prognostic outcomes in many cancers. Consequently, inhibiting the PI3K pathway may provide therapeutic benefit in these cancers.

Antitumor activity and induction of TP53-dependent apoptosis toward ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma by the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor DS-7423.

DS-7423, a novel, small-molecule dual inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), is currently in phase I clinical trials for solid tumors. Although DS-7423 potently inhibits PI3Kα (IC50 = 15.6 nM) and mTOR (IC50 = 34.

Small molecule agonists of PPAR-γ exert therapeutic effects in esophageal cancer.

The transcription factor PPAR-γ plays various roles in lipid metabolism, inflammation, cellular differentiation, and apoptosis. PPAR-γ agonists used to treat diabetes may have utility in cancer treatment. Efatutazone is a novel later generation PPAR-γ agonist that selectively activates PPAR-γ target genes and has antiproliferative effects in a range of malignancies.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel orally active p53-MDM2 interaction inhibitors.

We have discovered and reported potent p53-MDM2 interaction inhibitors possessing dihydroimidazothiazole scaffold. Our lead showed strong activity in vitro, but did not exhibit antitumor efficacy in vivo for the low metabolic stability. In order to obtain orally active compounds, we executed further optimization of our lead by the improvement of physicochemical properties.

Systematic research of peptide spacers controlling drug release from macromolecular prodrug system, carboxymethyldextran polyalcohol-peptide-drug conjugates.

The primary purpose of this study was to comprehensively delineate specificity of the peptide spacer sequence to tumor-expressed proteases for the design of macromolecular carrier-peptide spacer-drug conjugate system. 225 conjugates of carboxymethyldextran polyalcohol (CM-Dex-PA) as water-soluble carrier and a dansyl derivative (N-(4-aminobutyl)-5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalenesulfonamide, DNS) as the model drug linked with different tetrapeptide spacers (Gly-Gly-P(2)-P(1), P(2), P(1): Ala, Asn, Gly, Cit, Gln, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Pro, Ser, Thr, Trp, Tyr, and Val) were combinatorially synthesized. First, the drug release assay of all of the fluorogenic model conjugates was performed in murine Meth A solid tumor homogenates.

Relationship between drug release of DE-310, macromolecular prodrug of DX-8951f, and cathepsins activity in several tumors.

DE-310 is composed of the topoisomerase-I inhibitor DX-8951 (exatecan) and carboxymethyldextran polyalcohol (CM-Dex-PA) carrier, which are covalently linked via peptidyl spacer (Gly-Gly-Phe-Gly). In this study, we investigated relationship between the cathepsin activity and the drug release of DE-310 by use of human liver origin cathepsin (B, L and H) and tumor cells (murine tumor cells (Meth A and M5076), and human tumor cells (HCT116, A549, PC-12, T98G, and HL-60)). Preliminary studies indicated that human liver cathepsin B produced Glycyl DX-8951 (G-DX-8951) from DE-310 more preferentially than DX-8951, whereas human liver cathepsin L produced DX-8951 preferentially.

Hyperthermia-enhanced tumor accumulation and antitumor efficacy of a doxorubicin-conjugate with a novel macromolecular carrier system in mice with non-small cell lung cancer.

A novel drug delivery system (DDS) compound was formed by binding doxorubicin hydrochloride (DXR) to the macromolecular carrier carboxymethyldextran polyalcohol (CM-Dex-PA) via the peptidyl spacer (GGFG: Gly-Gly-Phe-Gly). Its use in a murine tumor model confirmed that the DDS (CM-Dex-PA-GGFG-DXR) was retained in the blood and distributed in tumor tissue. The combined use of hyperthermia (HT: 41-42 degrees C for 40 min) and DXR-conjugate (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg i.

Quantitative acid hydrolysis of DE-310, a macromolecular carrier system for the camptothecin analog DX-8951f.

DE-310 is a novel macromolecular prodrug of the topoisomerase-I inhibitor DX-8951. DX-8951 is covalently linked to carboxymethyl dextran polyalcohol (CM-Dex-PA) via a Gly-Gly-Phe-Gly (GGFG) tetrapeptide spacer. The present study was conducted to identify the portions of DX-8951 linked to DE-310, as well as to quantify the number of DX-8951 molecules associated with DE-310.

A possible mechanism for the long-lasting antitumor effect of the macromolecular conjugate DE-310: mediation by cellular uptake and drug release of its active camptothecin analog DX-8951.

DE-310, a new macromolecular prodrug, was designed to enhance the pharmacological profiles of a novel camptothecin analog (DX-8951f), and a single treatment with DE-310 exhibits a similar or greater therapeutic effect than do optimally scheduled multiple administrations of DX-8951f in several types of tumors. In this study, the drug-release mechanism by which DE-310 excites antitumor activity was investigated in Meth A cells, a malignant ascites model of murine fibrosarcoma. A single i.