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Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), a heterogeneous disease of the blood and bone marrow, is characterized by the inability of myeloblasts to differentiate into mature cell types. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is an enzyme well-known in the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway and preclinical findings demonstrated that DHODH is a metabolic vulnerability in AML as inhibitors can induce differentiation across multiple AML subtypes. As a result of virtual screening and structure-based drug design approaches, a novel series of isoquinolinone DHODH inhibitors was identified. Further lead optimization afforded JNJ-74856665 as an orally bioavailable, potent, and selective DHODH inhibitor with favorable physicochemical properties selected for clinical development in patients with AML and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

In situ methodologies allow qualitative and semi‐quantitative analysis of spatial gene expression in whole organisms or tissues. We have applied quantitative autoradiography to in situ hybridizations of sections from human breast tumor xenografts to measure mRNA levels for ornithine decarboxylase, estrogen receptor, transforming growth factor alpha, and glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase. Comparisons of control and tamoxifen‐treated animals show significant decreases in MCF‐7 tumor estrogen receptor mRNA levels in the drug‐treated animals. Combining quantitative autoradiography with in situ hybridization allows measurement of absolute rather than relative mRNA levels for genes of interest, and to monitor effector‐induced changes in these mRNAs in vivo.—Wright, P. S., Cross‐Doersen, D. E., Chmielewski, P. A., Bush, T. L., Bitonti, A. J., Miller, J. A. Measurement of mRNA levels in tumor xenografts with quantitative autoradiography and in situ hybridization. FASEB J.9, 279–283 (1995)

Cheung: Amgen Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Juan:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Wayne:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hanestad:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Keegan:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Huard:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. McElroy:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Stanton:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Bush:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kendall:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Radinsky:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Abella:Amgen Inc. : Employment, Equity Ownership. Pieslor:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Friberg:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Coxon:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Gamelin:Amgen Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Payton:Amgen Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Off Label Use: AMG 900 is currently in phase 1 clinical development, there is no approved label.

Aurora kinases A and B play essential roles in multiple stages of mitosis and are frequently overexpressed in a subset of human cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (Ikezoe T et al, 2007). AMG 900, a potent and highly selective small molecule inhibitor of aurora kinases, is currently in Phase 1 clinical testing in adult patients with AML.