Preclinical evaluation of a novel triple-acting PIM/PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, IBL-302, in breast cancer

Oncogene. 2020 Apr;39(14):3028-3040. doi: 10.1038/s41388-020-1202-y. Epub 2020 Feb 10.

Abstract

The proviral integration of Moloney virus (PIM) family of protein kinases are overexpressed in many haematological and solid tumours. PIM kinase expression is elevated in PI3K inhibitor-treated breast cancer samples, suggesting a major resistance pathway for PI3K inhibitors in breast cancer, potentially limiting their clinical utility. IBL-302 is a novel molecule that inhibits both PIM and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling. We thus evaluated the preclinical activity of IBL-302, in a range of breast cancer models. Our results demonstrate in vitro efficacy of IBL-302 in a range of breast cancer cell lines, including lines with acquired resistance to trastuzumab and lapatinib. IBL-302 demonstrated single-agent, anti-tumour efficacy in suppression of pAKT, pmTOR and pBAD in the SKBR-3, BT-474 and HCC-1954 HER2+/PIK3CA-mutated cell lines. We have also shown the in vivo single-agent efficacy of IBL-302 in the subcutaneous BT-474 and HCC-1954 xenograft model in BALB/c nude mice. The combination of trastuzumab and IBL-302 significantly increased the anti-proliferative effect in HER2+ breast cancer cell line, and matched trastuzumab-resistant line, relative to testing either drug alone. We thus believe that the novel PIM and PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, IBL-302, represents an exciting new potential treatment option for breast cancer, and that it should be considered for clinical investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lapatinib / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Thiophenes / pharmacology*
  • Trastuzumab / pharmacology

Substances

  • IBL-302
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Thiophenes
  • Lapatinib
  • MTOR protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Trastuzumab