Search

Resistance to androgen receptor (AR) blockade in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is associated with sustained AR signaling, including through alternative splicing of AR (AR-SV). Inhibitors of transcriptional coactivators that regulate AR activity, including the paralog histone acetyltransferase proteins p300 and CBP, are attractive therapeutic targets for lethal prostate cancer. Herein, we validate targeting p300/CBP as a therapeutic strategy for lethal prostate cancer and describe CCS1477, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of the p300/CBP conserved bromodomain. We show that CCS1477 inhibits cell proliferation in prostate cancer cell lines and decreases AR- and C-MYC–regulated gene expression. In AR-SV–driven models, CCS1477 has antitumor activity, regulating AR and C-MYC signaling. Early clinical studies suggest that CCS1477 modulates KLK3 blood levels and regulates CRPC biopsy biomarker expression. Overall, CCS1477 shows promise for the treatment of patients with advanced prostate cancer.Significance:Treating CRPC remains challenging due to persistent AR signaling. Inhibiting transcriptional AR coactivators is an attractive therapeutic strategy. CCS1477, an inhibitor of p300/CBP, inhibits growth and AR activity in CRPC models, and can affect metastatic CRPC target expression in serial clinical biopsies.See related commentary by Rasool et al., p. 1011.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 995

Supplementary figures

Resistance to androgen receptor (AR) blockade in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is associated with sustained AR signaling, including through alternative splicing of AR (AR-SV). Inhibitors of transcriptional coactivators that regulate AR activity, including the paralog histone acetyltransferase proteins p300 and CBP, are attractive therapeutic targets for lethal prostate cancer. Herein, we validate targeting p300/CBP as a therapeutic strategy for lethal prostate cancer and describe CCS1477, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of the p300/CBP conserved bromodomain. We show that CCS1477 inhibits cell proliferation in prostate cancer cell lines and decreases AR- and C-MYC–regulated gene expression. In AR-SV–driven models, CCS1477 has antitumor activity, regulating AR and C-MYC signaling. Early clinical studies suggest that CCS1477 modulates KLK3 blood levels and regulates CRPC biopsy biomarker expression. Overall, CCS1477 shows promise for the treatment of patients with advanced prostate cancer. Significance: Treating CRPC remains challenging due to persistent AR signaling. Inhibiting transcriptional AR coactivators is an attractive therapeutic strategy. CCS1477, an inhibitor of p300/CBP, inhibits growth and AR activity in CRPC models, and can affect metastatic CRPC target expression in serial clinical biopsies. See related commentary by Rasool et al., p. 1011. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 995

Both two-directional synthesis and tandem reactions are able to form several bonds in a single transformation, making them excellent reaction types to build molecular complexity. Over the past decade, we have had an ongoing interest in combining these two strategies in order to give access to complex molecular building blocks suitable for the synthesis of natural products in as efficient and concise a manner as possible. To date, we have successfully applied this strategy for the concise syntheses of anatoxin a, homoanatoxin, histrionicotoxin, alkaloid 223B and hippodamine (Figure 1), among others.1 Herein we report our investigations into the reaction of these keto dienoates with a range of primary amines, yielding azabicyclic structures pertinent to the synthesis of a range of frog alkaloids (e.g., alkaloid 275B2 and gephyrotoxin3) and the antitumour compounds, the lepadins.4

The convergent scale-up synthesis of two complex TRPV1 antagonists to support exploratory toxicology studies is described. Both compounds contain three chiral centers introduced by asymmetric synthesis with chiral control being critical for the success of the project. Preparation of the key cyclopropyl intermediate utilised an asymmetric cyclopropanation using thermally unstable ethyl diazoacetate. Ellman’s auxiliary was used to synthesize the chiral α-methyl benzylamine fragments. This paper highlights some of the key synthetic challenges, processing issues, and safety aspects from the scale-up of this chemistry.

The SAR of a series of novel pyrido[3,4-d]pyramid-4-ylamine mGluR1 antagonists is described. The multiple of the unbound K(i) in cerebrospinal fluid necessary to give morphine like analgesic effects in an electromyograph pinch model in rodents is determined and the effect of structure on CNS penetration examined.

The syntheses of 6-fluoropyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-ylamine derivatives is reported herein. Methods for generating C, N and O linked analogues under microwave irradiation are described.

A series of novel mGluR1 antagonists have been prepared. Incorporation of fragments derived from weak lead matter into a library led to enhanced potency in a new chemical series. A chemistry driven second library iteration, covering a greatly enhanced area of chemical space, maintained good potency and introduced metabolic stability.

11590 Background: Targeted degradation of androgen receptor (AR) and AR variants (ARV) remains an attractive therapeutic opportunity for patients with castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). E1A binding protein (p300) and CREB binding protein (CBP) are two closely related transcriptional activators of AR. We have developed CCS1477 which is a potent, selective and orally active small molecule inhibitor of the bromodomain of p300/CBP and investigated its role in regulating androgen receptor expression and function. Methods: Binding of CCS1477 to p300, CBP and BRD4, was measured in a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay. Potency and functional activity (proliferation and biomarker knockdown) was demonstrated in prostate cell lines in vitro (22Rv1, VCaP). Cross species in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) properties were assessed, and in vivo efficacy, linked to inhibition of biomarkers, was determined in 22Rv1 and LNCaP xenograft models. Results: CCS1477 binds to p300 and CBP with high affinity (Kd = 1.3/1.7nM) and selectivity (Kd = 222nM; BRD4). It is a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation in prostate cell lines (IC50 = 96nM,22Rv1; 49nM,VCaP) with minimal effect in AR-ve lines. In 22Rv1 cells, p300/CBP inhibition down-regulates AR-FL, AR-V7 and c-Myc protein by Western, an effect not seen with the BET inhibitor, JQ1 at equivalent proliferation IC50s. Inhibition of p300/CBP also reduces c-Myc, KLK3 and TMPRSS2 gene expression (qPCR) in 22Rv1 cells in vitro. The in vivo PK properties of CCS1477 are consistent with qd or qod oral dosing in mouse. CCS1477 dosed at 10mg, 20mg/kg qd or 30mg/kg qod, caused complete tumour growth inhibition over 28 days in a 22RV1 xenograft model, including extended duration in the absence of the drug for a further 24 days. This was accompanied by complete inhibition of plasma PSA and significant knockdown of tumour AR-FL, AR-V7, and C-Myc protein as well as C-Myc and TMPRSS2 mRNA expression. Conclusions: Taken together these data support the clinical testing of CCS1477 in castrate resistant prostate cancer by down-regulation of AR, AR-SV and c-MYC expression and function.

© 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry. The first total synthesis of myrmicine ant alkaloid 5-epi-cis-275B′ (4) is presented. A tandem cyclisation established the entire core of the structure in a single transformation as well as the required 2,5-anti stereochemistry. Two-directional synthesis was used to furnish the cyclisation precursor 2, as in each of the subsequent steps towards the natural product. The first electrophysiology studies for 4 (against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors) were also conducted, finding modest inhibition of current.

The highly regioselective fluorination of 1-hydroxyisoquinoline is described using Selectfluor™ (F–TEDA–BF 4 ) under a variety of conditions.

The cycloaddition of chiral tert-butanesulfinimines with trimethylenemethane is found to give facile access to methylene-pyrrolidines with good yields and diastereoselectivities. The full scope of the cycloaddition is explored, and a range of transformations of the formed methylenepyrrolidines to give a range of functionalized chiral pyrrolidines is presented.

The cycloaddition of chiral tert-butanesulfinimines with trimethylenemethane is found to give facile access to methylene-pyrrolidines with good yields and diastereoselectivities. The full scope of the cycloaddition is explored, and a range of transformations of the formed methylenepyrrolidines to give a range of functionalized chiral pyrrolidines is presented.

The TiCl4-mediated reaction of ketones (I) and (IV) with primary amines involves an enamine formation/Michael addition/aza-Michael addition sequence to give diastereomeric mixtures of azabicycles.

The highly regioselective fluorination of 1-hydroxyisoquinoline is described using Selectfluor™ (F–TEDA–BF 4 ) under a variety of conditions.