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De Pascale M, Bissegger L, Tarantelli C, Beaufils F, Prescimone A, Mohamed Seid Hedad H, Kayali O, Orbegozo C, Raguž L, Schaefer T, Hebeisen P, Bertoni F, Wymann MP, Borsari C. Investigation of morpholine isosters for the development of a potent, selective and metabolically stable mTOR kinase inhibitor. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 248:115038. [PMID: 36634458 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Upregulation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling drives various types of cancers and neurological diseases. Rapamycin and its analogues (rapalogs) are first generation mTOR inhibitors, and selectively block mTOR complex 1 (TORC1) by an allosteric mechanism. In contrast, second generation ATP-binding site inhibitors of mTOR kinase (TORKi) target both TORC1 and TORC2. Here, we explore 3,6-dihydro-2H-pyran (DHP) and tetrahydro-2H-pyran (THP) as isosteres of the morpholine moiety to unlock a novel chemical space for TORKi generation. A library of DHP- and THP-substituted triazines was prepared, and molecular modelling provided a rational for a structure activity relationship study. Finally, compound 11b [5-(4-(3-oxa-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-yl)-6-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-(difluoromethyl)pyridin-2-amine] was selected due its potency and selectivity for mTOR kinase over the structurally related class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) isoforms. 11b displayed high metabolic stability towards CYP1A1 degradation, which is of advantage in drug development. After oral administration to male Sprague Dawley rats, 11b reached high concentrations both in plasma and brain, revealing an excellent oral bioavailability. In a metabolic stability assay using human hepatocytes, 11b was more stable than PQR620, the first-in-class brain penetrant TORKi. Compound 11b also displayed dose-dependent anti-proliferative activity in splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) cell lines as single agent and when combined with BCL2 inhibition (venetoclax). Our results identify the THP-substituted triazine core as a novel scaffold for the development of metabolically stable TORKi for the treatment of chronic diseases and cancers driven by mTOR deregulation and requiring drug distribution also to the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina De Pascale
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Bissegger
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Tarantelli
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Florent Beaufils
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Prescimone
- University of Basel, Department of Chemistry, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Omar Kayali
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Clara Orbegozo
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luka Raguž
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thorsten Schaefer
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Paul Hebeisen
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Bertoni
- Institute of Oncology Research, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, USI, Via Francesco Chiesa 5, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Matthias P Wymann
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Chiara Borsari
- University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Mattenstrasse 28, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
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