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Emerging applications in the field of chemical biology are currently limited by the lack of bioorthogonal reactions allowing both removal and linkage of chemical entities on complex biomolecules. We recently discovered a novel reaction between iminosydnones and strained alkynes leading to two products resulting from ligation and fragmentation of iminosydnones under physiological conditions. We now report the synthesis of a panel of substituted iminosydnones and the structure reactivity relationship between these compounds and strained alkyne partners. This study identified the most relevant substituents, which allow to increase the rate of the transformation and to develop a bifunctional cleavable linker with improved kinetics.

The reduction–rebridging strategy is a powerful method for the preparation of stable and homogeneous antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs). In this communication, we describe the development of the arylene-dipropiolonitrile (ADPN) functional group for the rebridging of reduced disulphide bonds and its application in the preparation of potent and selective ADCs.

Antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) are a novel class of synthetic chimeric biomolecules that has been continually gaining traction in different fields of modern biotechnology. This is mainly due to the unique combination of the properties of their two constituents, exceptional targeting abilities and antibody biodistribution profiles, in addition to an extensive scope of oligonucleotide functional and structural roles. Combining these two classes of biomolecules in one chimeric construct has therefore become an important milestone in the development of numerous biotechnological applications, including imaging (DNA-PAINT), detection (PLA, PEA), and therapeutics (targeted siRNA/antisense delivery). Numerous synthetic approaches have been developed to access AOCs ranging from stochastic chemical bioconjugation to site-specific conjugation with reactive handles, introduced into antibody sequences through protein engineering. This Review gives a general overview of the current status of AOC applications with a specific emphasis on the synthetic methods used for their preparation. The reported synthetic techniques are discussed in terms of their practical aspects and limitations. The importance of the development of novel methods for the facile generation of AOCs possessing a defined constitution is highlighted as a priority in AOC research to ensure the advance of their new applications.

The third generation of aminobiphenyl palladacycle pre-catalyst "G3-Xantphos" enables functionalization of peptides containing cysteine in high yields. The conjugation (bioconjugation) occurs chemoselectively at room temperature under biocompatible conditions. Extension of the method to protein functionalization allows selective bioconjugation of the trastuzumab antibody.

The selective destruction of tumour cells while sparing healthy tissues is one of the main challenges in cancer therapy. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are arguably the most rapidly expanding class of targeted cancer therapies. Efficient drug conjugation and release technologies are essential for the development of these new therapeutic agents. In response to the ever-increasing demand for efficient drug release systems, we have developed a new class of β-galactosidase-cleavable linkers for ADCs. Within this framework, novel payloads comprising a galactoside linker, the monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) and cysteine-reactive groups were synthesized, conjugated with trastuzumab and evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The ADCs with galactoside linkers demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy in mice compared to the marketed trastuzumab emtansine used for the treatment of breast cancer.

Thiols are among the most frequently used functional groups in the field of bioconjugation. While there exists a variety of heterobifunctional reagents that allow for coupling thiols to other functions (e.g., amines, carboxylic acids), there is no specific reagent for creating heteroconjugates using two different thiols. In response to the ever-increasing demand for bioconjugation tools, we have developed p-(maleimide)-phenylpropionitrile (MAPN)-an efficient reagent for kinetically resolved thiol-to-thiol coupling. In a comparative study with its closest commercially available analogue, p-phenylenedimaleimide, MAPN has shown substantial advantages for the preparation of thiol-thiol heteroconjugates. Namely, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) with mertansine (DM1), conjugated to the cysteine residues of Trastuzumab, was prepared for the first time.

We report a plug-and-play strategy for the preparation of functionally enhanced antibodies with a defined average degree of conjugation (DoC). The first stage (plug) allows the controllable and efficient installation of azide groups on lysine residues of a native antibody using 4-azidobenzoyl fluoride. The second step (play) allows for versatile antibody functionalization with a single payload or combination of payloads, such as a toxin, a fluorophore, or an oligonucleotide, via copper-free strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC). It is notable that in comparison to a classical N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS) strategy, benzoyl fluorides show faster and more efficient acylation of lysine residues in a PBS buffer. This translates into better control of the DoC and enables the efficient and fast functionalization of delicate biomolecules at low temperature.

Iridium dimer complexes were found to catalyze the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of azides with bromoalkynes, yielding 1,5-disubstituted 4-bromo-1,2,3-triazoles in reasonable to excellent yields under mild conditions. The reaction offers a direct route to new 1,4,5-trisubstituted triazoles.

Amine-to-thiol coupling is the most common route for the preparation of antibody–drug conjugates (ADC). It is usually achieved by using heterobifunctional reagents possessing an activated ester at one end and a maleimide group at the other. However, maleimide-based conjugates were recently revealed to have limited stability in blood circulation, which can compromise therapeutic efficacy of the conjugate. To address this issue, we have developed a heterobifunctional reagent, sodium 4-((4-(cyanoethynyl)benzoyl)oxy)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzenesulfonate (CBTF), for amine-to-thiol coupling. It comprises a recently described 3-arylpropionitrile (APN) function in replacement of maleimide and allows for the preparation of remarkably stable conjugates. A series of antibody–dye conjugates have been prepared using this reagent and shown superior stability in human blood plasma compared to maleimide-derived conjugates.

Copper-catalyzed cycloaddition of alkynes with 4-bromosydnones provides a convenient, mild, and regioselective method for the synthesis of a wide range of bromopyrazoles. The broad functional group tolerance of the cycloaddition reaction and further palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions allowed the preparation of polyfunctionalized 1,4,5-pyrazoles that are otherwise difficult to obtain by conventional methods.

Iridium dimer complexes were found to catalyze the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of azides with bromoalkynes, yielding 1,5-disubstituted 4-bromo-1,2,3-triazoles in reasonable to excellent yields under mild conditions. The reaction offers a direct route to new 1,4,5-trisubstituted triazoles.