The clinical development candidate CCT245737 is an orally active CHK1 inhibitor with preclinical activity in RAS mutant NSCLC and Eµ-MYC driven B-cell lymphoma

Oncotarget. 2016 Jan 19;7(3):2329-42. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.4919.

Abstract

CCT245737 is the first orally active, clinical development candidate CHK1 inhibitor to be described. The IC50 was 1.4 nM against CHK1 enzyme and it exhibited>1,000-fold selectivity against CHK2 and CDK1. CCT245737 potently inhibited cellular CHK1 activity (IC50 30-220 nM) and enhanced gemcitabine and SN38 cytotoxicity in multiple human tumor cell lines and human tumor xenograft models. Mouse oral bioavailability was complete (100%) with extensive tumor exposure. Genotoxic-induced CHK1 activity (pS296 CHK1) and cell cycle arrest (pY15 CDK1) were inhibited both in vitro and in human tumor xenografts by CCT245737, causing increased DNA damage and apoptosis. Uniquely, we show CCT245737 enhanced gemcitabine antitumor activity to a greater degree than for higher doses of either agent alone, without increasing toxicity, indicating a true therapeutic advantage for this combination. Furthermore, development of a novel ELISA assay for pS296 CHK1 autophosphorylation, allowed the quantitative measurement of target inhibition in a RAS mutant human tumor xenograft of NSCLC at efficacious doses of CCT245737. Finally, CCT245737 also showed significant single-agent activity against a MYC-driven mouse model of B-cell lymphoma. In conclusion, CCT245737 is a new CHK1 inhibitor clinical development candidate scheduled for a first in man Phase I clinical trial, that will use the novel pS296 CHK1 ELISA to monitor target inhibition.

Keywords: CCT245737; CHK1; antitumor activity; biomarker assay; pharmacology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 4-Aminopyridine / analogs & derivatives*
  • 4-Aminopyridine / pharmacokinetics
  • 4-Aminopyridine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • Camptothecin / analogs & derivatives
  • Camptothecin / pharmacology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1 / drug effects*
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Checkpoint Kinase 2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • DNA Damage / drug effects
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Deoxycytidine / pharmacology
  • Drug Synergism
  • Gemcitabine
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Irinotecan
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / drug therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / genetics*
  • Pyrazines / pharmacokinetics
  • Pyrazines / pharmacology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays*

Substances

  • CCT245737
  • MYC protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • Pyrazines
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Irinotecan
  • 4-Aminopyridine
  • Checkpoint Kinase 2
  • CHEK2 protein, human
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • CDK1 protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • Camptothecin
  • Gemcitabine