Discovery of QCA570 as an Exceptionally Potent and Efficacious Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) Degrader of the Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) Proteins Capable of Inducing Complete and Durable Tumor Regression

J Med Chem. 2018 Aug 9;61(15):6685-6704. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00506. Epub 2018 Jul 18.

Abstract

Proteins of the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family are epigenetics "readers" and promising therapeutic targets for cancer and other human diseases. We describe herein a structure-guided design of [1,4]oxazepines as a new class of BET inhibitors and our subsequent design, synthesis, and evaluation of proteolysis-targeting chimeric (PROTAC) small-molecule BET degraders. Our efforts have led to the discovery of extremely potent BET degraders, exemplified by QCA570, which effectively induces degradation of BET proteins and inhibits cell growth in human acute leukemia cell lines even at low picomolar concentrations. QCA570 achieves complete and durable tumor regression in leukemia xenograft models in mice at well-tolerated dose-schedules. QCA570 is the most potent and efficacious BET degrader reported to date.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Design*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteolysis / drug effects*
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacokinetics
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • bromodomain and extra-terminal domain protein, human