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The bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family of bromodomain-containing proteins are important regulators of the epigenome through their ability to recognize N-acetyl lysine (KAc) post-translational modifications on histone tails. These interactions have been implicated in various disease states and, consequently, disruption of BET-KAc binding has emerged as an attractive therapeutic strategy with a number of small molecule inhibitors now under investigation in the clinic. However, until the utility of these advanced candidates is fully assessed by these trials, there remains scope for the discovery of inhibitors from new chemotypes with alternative physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic profiles. Herein, we describe the discovery of a candidate-quality dimethylpyridone benzimidazole compound which originated from the hybridization of a dimethylphenol benzimidazole series, identified using encoded library technology, with an N-methyl pyridone series identified through fragment screening. Optimization via structure- and property-based design led to I-BET469, which possesses favorable oral pharmacokinetic properties, displays activity in vivo, and is projected to have a low human efficacious dose.

The bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) family of epigenetic regulators comprises four proteins (BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, BRDT), each containing tandem bromodomains. To date, small molecule inhibitors of these proteins typically bind all eight bromodomains of the family with similar affinity, resulting in a diverse range of biological effects. To enable further understanding of the broad phenotype characteristic of pan-BET inhibition, the development of inhibitors selective for individual, or sets of, bromodomains within the family is required. In this regard, we report the discovery of a potent probe molecule possessing up to 150-fold selectivity for the N-terminal bromodomains (BD1s) over the C-terminal bromodomains (BD2s) of the BETs. Guided by structural information, a specific amino acid difference between BD1 and BD2 domains was targeted for selective interaction with chemical functionality appended to the previously developed I-BET151 scaffold. Data presented herein demonstrate that selective inhibition of BD1 domains is sufficient to drive anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects.

Bromodomain inhibitors revisited Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer and immune diseases through their effects on transcriptional regulation. BET proteins contain two nearly identical bromodomains, BD1 and BD2, structural modules that have attracted great interest as targets for drug development. First-generation drugs that inhibited both BD1 and BD2 showed promising therapeutic activity in preclinical models but proved to be less efficacious in clinical trials. Gilan et al. took a different approach and designed drugs that selectively inhibited BD1 or BD2 (see the Perspective by Filippakopoulos and Knapp). They found that BD1 and BD2 inhibitors altered gene expression in different ways and that BD2 inhibitors had greater therapeutic activity than BD1 inhibitors in preclinical models of inflammation and autoimmune disease. Science , this issue p. 387 ; see also p. 367

The synthesis and photophysical properties of a new class of α-amino acid bearing a rigid pyrazoloquinazoline chromophore are described. Confromational constraint of the amino acid side-chains resulted in high emission quantum yields, while the demonstration of two-photon-induced fluorescence via near-IR excitation signifies their potential for sensitive bioimaging applications.

Reaction of methyl-2-(2-formylphenyl)acetate with primary amines in a reductive amination/cyclisation process resulted in N-substituted 1,4-dihydro-3(2H)-isoquinolinones. With H 2NCH 2R sodium borohyride is a suitable reductant (11 examples), but H 2NCHR 1R 2 required a transfer hydrogenation using ammonium formate catalysed by palladium on carbon (9 examples). 4-Substituted-1,4-dihydro-3(2H)-isoquinolinones were synthesised by deprotonation (n-butyllithium) and addition of R 3CH 2Br (12 examples with R 3 = alkyl, Ar, CH[dbnd]CH 2, C[tbnd]CH). Modest diastereoselectivity was achieved with 1,4-dihydro-3(2H)-isoquinolinones derived from H 2NCHMeR 2 [R 2 = (η 5-C 5H 4)Co(η 4-C 4Ph 4) - max. dr = 1.9: 1], but use of H 2NCHMeFc (Fc = ferrocenyl) provided a new method of 1,4-dihydro-3(2H)-isoquinolinone N-deprotection with formic acid.

Are better drugs just a click away? Drugs that show promise in preclinical models often fail in the clinic, in part because of limited information on drug localization within cells and across tissues. In a proof-of-concept study, Tyler et al. applied click chemistry methods to study the localization of bromodomain inhibitors. These are cancer drugs that alter chromatin structure and gene expression. Clickable derivatives of the drugs localized within chromatin and showed that the drugs exhibit distinct modes of binding at responsive and unresponsive genes. In a mouse leukemia model, the click-probes revealed that the drugs accumulate to different extents in the spleen and bone marrow, which are two tissue sources of leukemic cells. Science , this issue p. 1397

The synthesis of a new class of benzotriazole-derived α-amino acid is described using a highly efficient nucleophilic aromatic substitution of ortho-fluoronitrobenzenes with l-3-aminoalanine and a ...

An acid-mediated 6-endo-trig cyclisation of amine-substituted enones has been developed for the stereoselective synthesis of trans-6-alkyl-2-methyl-4-oxopiperidines. Performed under conditions that prevent removal of the Boc-protecting group or acetal formation, the key cyclisation was found to generate cleanly the 4-oxopiperidine products in high overall yields from a wide range of alkyl substituted enones. The synthetic utility of the trans-6-alkyl-2-methyl-4-oxopiperidines formed from this process was demonstrated with the total synthesis of the quinolizidine alkaloid, (+)-myrtine and the piperidine alkaloid, (-)-solenopsin A.

Overexpression of ATAD2 (ATPase family, AAA domain containing 2) has been linked to disease severity and progression in a wide range of cancers, and is implicated in the regulation of several drivers of cancer growth. Little is known of the dependence of these effects upon the ATAD2 bromodomain, which has been categorized as among the least tractable of its class. The absence of any potent, selective inhibitors limits clear understanding of the therapeutic potential of the bromodomain. Here, we describe the discovery of a hit from a fragment-based targeted array. Optimization of this produced the first known micromolar inhibitors of the ATAD2 bromodomain.