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OBJECTIVE--The inhibition of gut and renal sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) has been proposed as a novel therapeutic approach to the treatment of diabetes. We have identified dapagliflozin as a potent and selective inhibitor of the renal sodium-glucose cotransporter SGLT2 in vitro and characterized its in vitro and in vivo pharmacology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--Cell-based assays measuring glucose analog uptake were used to assess dapagliflozin's ability to inhibit sodium-dependent and facilitative glucose transport activity. Acute and multi-dose studies in normal and diabetic rats were performed to assess the ability of dapagliflozin to improve fed and fasting plasma glucose levels. A hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study was performed to assess the ability of dapagliflozin to improve glucose utilization after multi-dose treatment. RESULTS---Dapagliflozin potently and selectively inhibited human SGLT2 versus human SGLT1, the major cotransporter of glucose in the gut, and did not significantly inhibit facilitative glucose transport in human adipocytes. In vivo, dapagliflozin acutely induced renal glucose excretion in normal and diabetic rats, improved glucose tolerance in normal rats, and reduced hyperglycemia in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats after single oral doses ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/kg. Once-daily dapagliflozin treatment over 2 weeks significantly lowered fasting and fed glucose levels at doses ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/kg and resulted in a significant increase in glucose utilization rate accompanied by a significant reduction in glucose production. CONCLUSIONS--These data suggest that dapagliflozin has the potential to be an efficacious treatment for type 2 diabetes., The inhibition of renal glucose reabsorption is a novel approach to the treatment of diabetes. In normal individuals, glucose present in the plasma is filtered by the kidneys, but virtually [...]

Muraglitazar, a novel dual (α/γ) peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activator, was investigated for its antidiabetic properties and its effects on metabolic abnormalities in genetically obese diabetic db/db mice. In db/db mice and normal mice, muraglitazar treatment modulates the expression of PPAR target genes in white adipose tissue and liver. In young hyperglycemic db/db mice, muraglitazar treatment (0.03-50 mg x [kg.sup.-1] x [day.sup.-1] for 2 weeks) results in dose-dependent reductions of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and cholesterol. In older hyperglycemic db/db mice, longer-term muraglitazar treatment (30 mg x [kg.sup.-1] x [day.sup.-1] for 4 weeks) prevents time-dependent deterioration of glycemic control and development of insulin deficiency. In severely hyperglycemic db/db mice, muraglitazar treatment (10 mg x [kg.sup.-1] x [day.sup.-1] for 2 weeks) improves oral glucose tolerance and reduces plasma glucose and insulin levels. In addition, treatment increases insulin content in the pancreas. Finally, muraglitazar treatment increases abnormally low plasma adiponectin levels, increases high-molecular weight adiponectin complex levels, reduces elevated plasma corticosterone levels, and lowers elevated liver lipid content in db/db mice. The overall conclusions are that in db/db mice, the novel dual (α/γ) PPAR activator muraglitazar 1) exerts potent and efficacious antidiabetic effects, 2) preserves pancreatic insulin content, and 3) improves metabolic abnormalities such as hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, low adiponectin levels, and elevated corticosterone levels., Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ/and PPARα are ligand-activated nuclear hormone receptors that regulate the transcription of genes involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism pathways (1-4). Activation of PPARγ which is [...]

Inhibition of the S-adenosyl methionine (SAM)-producing metabolic enzyme, methionine adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A), has received significant interest in the field of medicinal chemistry due to its implication as a synthetic lethal target in cancers with the deletion of the methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene. Here, we report the identification of novel MAT2A inhibitors with distinct in vivoproperties that may enhance their utility in treating patients. Following a high-throughput screening, we successfully applied the structure-based design lessons from our first-in-class MAT2A inhibitor, AG-270, to rapidly redesign and optimize our initial hit into two new lead compounds: a brain-penetrant compound, AGI-41998, and a potent, but limited brain-penetrant compound, AGI-43192. We hope that the identification and first disclosure of brain-penetrant MAT2A inhibitors will create new opportunities to explore the potential therapeutic effects of SAM modulation in the central nervous system (CNS).

The metabolic enzyme methionine adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) was recently implicated as a synthetic lethal target in cancers with deletion of the methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene, which is adjacent to the CDKN2Atumor suppressor and codeleted with CDKN2Ain approximately 15% of all cancers. Previous attempts to target MAT2A with small-molecule inhibitors identified cellular adaptations that blunted their efficacy. Here, we report the discovery of highly potent, selective, orally bioavailable MAT2A inhibitors that overcome these challenges. Fragment screening followed by iterative structure-guided design enabled >10 000-fold improvement in potency of a family of allosteric MAT2A inhibitors that are substrate noncompetitive and inhibit release of the product, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), from the enzyme’s active site. We demonstrate that potent MAT2A inhibitors substantially reduce SAM levels in cancer cells and selectively block proliferation of MTAP-null cells both in tissue culture and xenograft tumors. These data supported progressing AG-270into current clinical studies (ClinicalTrials.govNCT03435250).

Point mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) result in conversion of α-ketoglutarate to the oncometabolite, d-2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG). Ivosidenib is a once daily (QD), orally available, potent, mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (mIDH1) inhibitor approved for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and intensive chemotherapy-ineligible newly diagnosed AML, with a susceptible IDH1mutation. We characterized the protein binding, metabolism, metabolites, cell permeability, and drug-drug interaction potential of ivosidenib in humans, monkeys, dogs, rats, and/or mice in in vitro experiments. In vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) profiling and assessment of drug distribution and excretion was undertaken in rats, dogs, and monkeys administered single-dose ivosidenib. The PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) relationship between ivosidenib and 2-HG was analyzed in an mIDH1xenograft mouse model. Ivosidenib was well absorbed, showed low clearance, and moderate to long terminal half-life (5.3–18.5 hours) in rats, dogs, and monkeys. Brain to plasma exposure ratio was low (2.3%), plasma protein binding was high, and oxidative metabolism was the major elimination pathway. Ivosidenib had high cell permeability and was identified as a substrate for P-glycoprotein. There was moderate induction of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2B6 but minimal P450 inhibition or autoinduction. Tumor 2-HG reduction appeared to be dose- and drug-exposure–dependent. Ivosidenib showed a favorable PK profile in several animal species, along with a clear PK/PD relationship demonstrating 2-HG inhibition that translated well to patients with AML.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIvosidenib is a mutant IDH1 (mIDH1) inhibitor approved for the treatment of certain patients with mIDH1acute myeloid leukemia. In Sprague-Dawley rats, beagle dogs, and cynomolgus monkeys, ivosidenib demonstrated a favorable pharmacokinetic profile, and in female BALB/c mice showed clear dose- and exposure-dependent inhibition of the oncometabolite, d-2-hydroxyglutarate, which is present at abnormal levels in mIDH1tumors. These findings led to the further development of ivosidenib and are consistent with data from patients with mIDH1cancers and healthy participants.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 and 2 mutations result in overproduction of D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) and impaired cellular differentiation. Ivosidenib, a targeted mutant IDH1 (mIDH1) enzyme inhibitor, can restore normal differentiation and results in clinical responses in a subset of patients with mIDH1 relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We explored mechanisms of ivosidenib resistance in 174 patients with confirmed mIDH1 R/R AML from a phase 1 trial. Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathway mutations were associated with primary resistance to ivosidenib. Multiple mechanisms contributed to acquired resistance, particularly outgrowth of RTK pathway mutations and 2-HG–restoring mutations (second-site IDH1 mutations, IDH2 mutations). Observation of multiple concurrent mechanisms in individual patients underscores the complex biology of resistance and has important implications for rational combination therapy design. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02074839

Somatic mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 gene (IDH2) contribute to the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) through the production of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG)1–8. Enasidenib (AG-221) is an allosteric inhibitor that binds to the IDH2 dimer interface and blocks the production of 2HG by IDH2 mutants9,10. In a phase I/II clinical trial, enasidenib inhibited the production of 2HG and induced clinical responses in relapsed or refractory IDH2-mutant AML11. Here we describe two patients with IDH2-mutant AML who had a clinical response to enasidenib followed by clinical resistance, disease progression, and a recurrent increase in circulating levels of 2HG. We show that therapeutic resistance is associated with the emergence of second-site IDH2mutations in trans, such that the resistance mutations occurred in the IDH2allele without the neomorphic R140Q mutation. The in transmutations occurred at glutamine 316 (Q316E) and isoleucine 319 (I319M), which are at the interface where enasidenib binds to the IDH2 dimer. The expression of either of these mutant disease alleles alone did not induce the production of 2HG; however, the expression of the Q316E or I319M mutation together with the R140Q mutation in transallowed 2HG production that was resistant to inhibition by enasidenib. Biochemical studies predicted that resistance to allosteric IDH inhibitors could also occur via IDH dimer-interface mutations in cis, which was confirmed in a patient with acquired resistance to the IDH1 inhibitor ivosidenib (AG-120). Our observations uncover a mechanism of acquired resistance to a targeted therapy and underscore the importance of 2HG production in the pathogenesis of IDH-mutant malignancies. A new mechanism of acquired clinical resistance in two patients with acute myeloid leukaemia driven by mutant IDH2 is described, in which a second-site mutation on the wild-type allele induces therapeutic resistance to IDH2 inhibitors.

Metabolic regulation has been recognized as a powerful principle guiding immune responses. Inflammatory macrophages undergo extensive metabolic rewiring1 marked by the production of substantial amounts of itaconate, which has recently been described as an immunoregulatory metabolite2 . Itaconate and its membrane-permeable derivative dimethyl itaconate (DI) selectively inhibit a subset of cytokines2 , including IL-6 and IL-12 but not TNF. The major effects of itaconate on cellular metabolism during macrophage activation have been attributed to the inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase2,3, yet this inhibition alone is not sufficient to account for the pronounced immunoregulatory effects observed in the case of DI. Furthermore, the regulatory pathway responsible for such selective effects of itaconate and DI on the inflammatory program has not been defined. Here we show that itaconate and DI induce electrophilic stress, react with glutathione and subsequently induce both Nrf2 (also known as NFE2L2)-dependent and -independent responses. We find that electrophilic stress can selectively regulate secondary, but not primary, transcriptional responses to toll-like receptor stimulation via inhibition of IκBζ protein induction. The regulation of IκBζ is independent of Nrf2, and we identify ATF3 as its key mediator. The inhibitory effect is conserved across species and cell types, and the in vivo administration of DI can ameliorate IL-17–IκBζ-driven skin pathology in a mouse model of psoriasis, highlighting the therapeutic potential of this regulatory pathway. Our results demonstrate that targeting the DI–IκBζ regulatory axis could be an important new strategy for the treatment of IL-17–IκBζ-mediated autoimmune diseases. The immunoregulatory metabolite itaconate and its dimethyl derivative induce electrophilic stress and react with glutathione to induce both Nrf2-dependent and Nrf2-independent responses, resulting in AF3-mediated inhibition of the inflammation-related protein IκBζ.

Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is a rare genetic disease that causes chronic hemolytic anemia. There are currently no targeted therapies for PK deficiency. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of AG-348, an allosteric activator of PK that is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of PK deficiency. We demonstrate that AG-348 can increase the activity of wild-type and mutant PK enzymes in biochemical assays and in patient red blood cells treated ex vivo. These data illustrate the potential for AG-348 to restore the glycolytic pathway activity in patients with PK deficiency and ultimately lead to clinical benefit.

Homozygous deletions of p16/CDKN2Aare prevalent in cancer, and these mutations commonly involve co-deletion of adjacent genes, including methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP). Here, we used shRNA screening and identified the metabolic enzyme, methionine adenosyltransferase II alpha (MAT2A), and the arginine methyltransferase, PRMT5, as vulnerable enzymes in cells with MTAPdeletion. Metabolomic and biochemical studies revealed a mechanistic basis for this synthetic lethality. The MTAP substrate methylthioadenosine (MTA) accumulates upon MTAP loss. Biochemical profiling of a methyltransferase enzyme panel revealed that MTA is a potent and selective inhibitor of PRMT5. MTAP-deleted cells have reduced PRMT5 methylation activity and increased sensitivity to PRMT5 depletion. MAT2A produces the PRMT5 substrate S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and MAT2A depletion reduces growth and PRMT5 methylation activity selectively in MTAP-deleted cells. Furthermore, this vulnerability extends to PRMT5 co-complex proteins such as RIOK1. Thus, the unique biochemical features of PRMT5 create an axis of targets vulnerable in CDKN2A/MTAP-deleted cancers.

Mutations of IDH1and IDH2, which produce the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), have been identified in several tumors, including acute myeloid leukemia. Recent studies have shown that expression of the IDH mutant enzymes results in high levels of 2HG and a block in cellular differentiation that can be reversed with IDH mutant-specific small-molecule inhibitors. To further understand the role of IDH mutations in cancer, we conducted mechanistic studies in the TF-1 IDH2R140Q erythroleukemia model system and found that IDH2mutant expression caused both histone and genomic DNA methylation changes that can be reversed when IDH2 mutant activity is inhibited. Specifically, histone hypermethylation is rapidly reversed within days, whereas reversal of DNA hypermethylation proceeds in a progressive manner over the course of weeks. We identified several gene signatures implicated in tumorigenesis of leukemia and lymphoma, indicating a selective modulation of relevant cancer genes by IDH mutations. As methylation of DNA and histones is closely linked to mRNA expression and differentiation, these results indicate that IDH2 mutant inhibition may function as a cancer therapy via histone and DNA demethylation at genes involved in differentiation and tumorigenesis.

d3‐Cerivastatin was synthesized as an internal standard for use in a LC/MS/MS method developed for the simultaneous quantitative determination of the drug in human serum. d3‐Cerivastatin was efficiently prepared on large scale from d3‐iodomethane using improved procedures. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A procedure for the preparation of various analogs of miconazole on solid support is described. A novel iodoetherification transformation is utilized as the key synthetic step. This approach has been applied to the combinatorial synthesis of 45 analogs.

Le: Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Cohen:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy. Barbier:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Merica:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kung:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kosinski:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Biller:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yang:Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Fan: Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Le:Agios Pharmceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Manyak:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Liu:Agios: Employment. Prahl:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Bowden:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Biller:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership; Arbutus BioPharma (formerly Tekmira): Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Syros Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Arvinas: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Denali: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Agresta:Agios: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Le: Agios Pharmceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Cohen:Agios: Consultancy. Chen:Agios: Employment. Kim:Agios: Employment. Silver:Agios: Consultancy. Agresta:Agios: Employment, Equity Ownership. Merica:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kung:Agios: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kosinski:Agios: Employment, Equity Ownership; General Electric: Equity Ownership; SDIX: Equity Ownership. Silverman:Agios: Employment, Equity Ownership. Biller:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership; Arbutus BioPharma (formerly Tekmira): Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Syros Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Arvinas: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Denali: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Yang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Fan: Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other. Chen:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other. Wang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other. Yen:Agios: Employment. Utley:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other. Almon:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other. Biller:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other. Agresta:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other. Yang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Stockholder Other.

Yen: Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Lemieux:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Popovici-Muller:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Chen:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Straley:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Choe:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Dorsch:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Agresta:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Schenkein:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Biller:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Su:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Wang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Yen: Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Wang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Travins:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Chen:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Straley:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Choe:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Dorsch:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Schenkein:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Agresta:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Biller:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Su:agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Yen: Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Wang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Schalm:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hansen:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Straley:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Kernytsky:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Choe:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Liu:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Popovici-Muller:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Travins:Agios pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Silverman:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Gross:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Dang:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Salituro:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Equity Ownership. Saunders:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Equity Ownership. Dorsch:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Agresta:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Schenkein:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Su:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Biller:Agios Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership.

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