Discovery of a Hydroxylamine-Based Brain-Penetrant EGFR Inhibitor for Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

J Med Chem. 2023 Nov 23;66(22):15477-15492. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01669. Epub 2023 Nov 7.

Abstract

Metastases to the brain remain a significant problem in lung cancer, as treatment by most small-molecule targeted therapies is severely limited by efflux transporters at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Here, we report the discovery of a selective, orally bioavailable, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, 9, that exhibits high brain penetration and potent activity in osimertinib-resistant cell lines bearing L858R/C797S and exon19del/C797S EGFR resistance mutations. In vivo, 9 induced tumor regression in an intracranial patient-derived xenograft (PDX) murine model suggesting it as a potential lead for the treatment of localized and metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) driven by activating mutant bearing EGFR. Overall, we demonstrate that an underrepresented functional group in medicinal chemistry, the trisubstituted hydroxylamine moiety, can be incorporated into a drug scaffold without the toxicity commonly surmised to accompany these units, all while maintaining potent biological activity and without the molecular weight creep common to drug optimization campaigns.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aniline Compounds / pharmacology
  • Aniline Compounds / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / drug therapy
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydroxylamine / metabolism
  • Hydroxylamine / therapeutic use
  • Hydroxylamines / metabolism
  • Hydroxylamines / therapeutic use
  • Lung Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Aniline Compounds
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Hydroxylamine
  • Hydroxylamines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors