Integrating Fragment Assembly and Biophysical Methods in the Chemical Advancement of Small-Molecule Antagonists of IL-2: An Approach for Inhibiting Protein−Protein Interactions
摘要:
Fragment assembly has shown promise for discovering small-molecule antagonists for difficult targets, including protein-protein interactions. Here, we describe a process for identifying a 60 nM inhibitor of the interleukin-2 (IL-2)/IL-2 receptor (IL-2Ralpha) interaction. By use of fragment-based approaches, a compound with millimolar affinity was evolved to a hit series with low micromolar activity, and these compounds were optimized into a lead series with nanomolar affinity. Fragment assembly was useful not only for hit identification, but also for lead optimization. Throughout the discovery process, biophysical methods and structural biology demonstrated that compounds bound reversibly to IL-2 at the IL-2 receptor binding site.
Electrochemical Aminoxyl-Mediated α-Cyanation of Secondary Piperidines for Pharmaceutical Building Block Diversification
作者:Alastair J. J. Lennox、Shannon L. Goes、Matthew P. Webster、Hannes F. Koolman、Stevan W. Djuric、Shannon S. Stahl
DOI:10.1021/jacs.8b08145
日期:2018.9.12
Secondary piperidines are ideal pharmaceutical building blocks owing to the prevalence of piperidines in commercial drugs. Here, we report an electrochemical method for cyanation of the heterocycle adjacent to nitrogen without requiring protection or substitution of the N-H bond. The reaction utilizes ABNO (9-azabicyclononane N-oxyl) as a catalytic mediator. Electrochemical oxidation of ABNO generates
Compound 1 obtained by random screening and displaying a micromolar activity on the mu opiate receptor was chosen as a starting point for optimization. Two complementary concepts of similarity were used for the design of analogues and compared. These are based, respectively, on a computer-aided comparison of pharmacophoric patterns and on topological similarity. The structure-activity relationships are discussed in light of both similarity concepts. Compound 40, an N-methyl-3-(4-oxo-1-phenyl-1,3,8-triazaspiro[4.5]decyl)acetamide derivative, designed by combining the structure-activity relationships enlightened by each method, has a subnanomolar affinity for mu (h) receptor (IC(50) = 0.9 nM). It is a promising lead, allowing the design of a new series of analogues substituted at the N-3 of the spirocycle moiety.