BOBSport

Replication stress (RS) is a cancer hallmark; chemotherapeutic drugs targeting RS are widely used as treatments for various cancers. To develop next-generation RS-inducing anticancer drugs, cell division cycle 7 (CDC7) has attracted attention as a target. Researchers have developed an oral CDC7-selective inhibitor, TAK-931, as a candidate clinical anticancer drug. TAK-931 demonstrated marked, dose-dependent antitumor activity, without severe body weight loss. Antitumor efficacy studies for TAK-931 were carried out in two pancreatic PDX models, PHTX-249Pa and PHTXM-97Pa, at Medicilon.

​Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most universal age-related neurodegenerative disease. AP39 is a newly synthesized mitochondrially targeted H2S donor on mitochondrial function. AP39 increases intracellular H2S levels, mainly in mitochondrial regions. AP39 exerts dose-dependent effects on mitochondrial activity in APP/PS1 neurons. AP39, a novel mitochondria-targeted H2S donor, was designed and synthesized by Medicilon.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and devastating neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the presence of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation. Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily, which functions as a cell surface acceptor for Aβ peptide. RAGE plays an important role in the Aβ-mediated neuronal damage that closely related to the pathogenesis of AD. In this study, Compound 12 showed good dual-target bioactivities against RAGE and SERT in vitro, good liver microsomal stability, and acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. Pharmacokinetic studies were commissioned by Medicilon.

TRIM24 (tripartite motif-containing protein 24) and BRPF1 (bromodomain and PHD finger containing protein 1) are epigenetics “readers”and potential therapeutic targets for cancer and other diseases. Y08624 (Compound 20l) is a new TRIM24/BRPF1 dual inhibitor. Y08624 displays reasonable Caco-2 permeability. Caco-2 permeability assay was performed by Medicilon.

Apoptosis is a cellular process critical to the normal development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. The inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) are a class of key apoptosis regulators. IAP proteins are attractive cancer therapeutic targets. SM-406 (compound 2) is a potent and orally bioavailable antagonist of the IAPs. Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies of SM-406 (compound 2) in male Sprague Dawley rats, beagle dogs and cynomolgus monkeys (non-human primates) were performed by the Division of Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism, Medicilon. SM-406 (compound 2) has an excellent PK profile and good oral bioavailability in each of these four species.

Gastric cancer is the second most lethal cancer across the world. Compounds 8f, inhibits FGFR1 signaling pathways as well as induces cell apoptosis, is a potential agent for the treatment of gastric cancer. The pharmacokinetical profile (PK) of 8f was tested in SD rats. Compound 8f showed an acceptable half-time of 3 h and displayed moderate maximum concentrations, which is enough to meet the concentration of the compound 8f to exert its efficacy in vivo. The pharmacokinetic analysis was performed by the testing service provided by Medicilon.

Epigenetic modification, like DNA methylation, plays a major role in the expression of genetic information. The DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), maintain DNA methylation, is an attractive target for tumor chemotherapy. WK-23 displays a good inhibitory effect on human DNMT1 with an IC50 value of 5.0 µM. The PK profile of WK-23 was obtained with quite satisfying oral bioavailability and elimination half-life. In vivo pharmacokinetic properties of WK-22, WK-23, WK-27, and DC_517 were performed by Medicilon.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) is a promising target associated with cancer and type 2 diabetes. Compounds W8 and W8k exhibit high selectivity against FBPase and W8 effectively reduces blood glucose in an Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice model and dose-dependent inhibition of glucose production in a primary mouse hepatocyte model. The pharmacokinetic studies of W8 and its leaving group saccharin were performed by Medicilon.

Scaffold hopping refers to computer-aided screening for active compounds with different structures against the same receptor to enrich privileged scaffolds, which is a topic of high interest in organic and medicinal chemistry. One of the biggest challenges in drug discovery is to identify high-quality hit and lead compounds. Lead L12 had an IC50 of 8.7 nM and exhibited a different binding pattern in its crystal structure with PDE5 from the famous starting drug tadalafil, and PK results indicate that L12 could be used as a promising lead for further development. Pharmacokinetic properties of L12 were analyzed by Medicilon.

Current pain management is largely limited to opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Developing new analgesic drugs remains important to address the unmet medical needs of chronic pain patients. Calcium-activated chloride channel anoctamin-1 (ANO1) is a potential analgesic target. DFBTA is a potent inhibitor with the IC50 of 24 nM. DFBTA shows very weak cytotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and acute toxicity, as well as excellent pharmacokinetics properties with oral bioavailability >75% and little brain penetration (<1.5% brain/plasma). In vivo PK were tested by Medicilon.