Discovery of Novel PROTAC-Based HPK1 Degraders with High Potency and Selectivity for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Zhimin Zhang, Liubin Guo, Mengting Zhao, Hao Pan, Zhao Dong, Ling Wang, Xi Yang, Zhiping Zhang, Mengqiang Wu, Yujie Chang, Yacheng Yang, Linan Sun, Sirui Liu, Rongyao Zhu, Haowen Zheng, Xinyu Dai, Xiaohua Zhang, Chunhua Jiang, Zhuangzhi Zhu, Yuchen Zhang, Dongzhou Liu
Author Information
  1. Zhimin Zhang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China. ORCID
  2. Liubin Guo: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  3. Mengting Zhao: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  4. Hao Pan: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  5. Zhao Dong: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  6. Ling Wang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  7. Xi Yang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  8. Zhiping Zhang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  9. Mengqiang Wu: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  10. Yujie Chang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  11. Yacheng Yang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  12. Linan Sun: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  13. Sirui Liu: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  14. Rongyao Zhu: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  15. Haowen Zheng: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  16. Xinyu Dai: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  17. Xiaohua Zhang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  18. Chunhua Jiang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  19. Zhuangzhi Zhu: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  20. Yuchen Zhang: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.
  21. Dongzhou Liu: Global Drug R&D Center, Huadong Medicine, Hangzhou 310011, P. R. China.

Abstract

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1, MAP4K1), a serine/threonine (SER/THR) kinase, has been identified as a negative immune regulator of T-cell receptor signaling. Deprivation of the HPK1 function suppresses tumor growth, providing an attractive strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we present a novel PROTAC-based HPK1 degrader compound with high selectivity and potency. showed a dose-dependent inhibition of SLP-76 phosphorylation and an induction of IL-2 and IFN-��. Compared with other inhibitors, exhibited good efficacy and a favorable safety profile in the MC38 model. Specifically, oral administration of at 0.5 mg/kg in combination with anti-PD1 resulted in significant suppression with a TGI value of 91.0%. Furthermore, exhibited a low risk of cardiotoxicity and a wide safety window. This research effort demonstrates that is a promising preclinical candidate (PCC) for potential mono- and comboimmunotherapy of cancer.

MeSH Term

Animals
Humans
Immunotherapy
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
Mice
Antineoplastic Agents
Neoplasms
Cell Line, Tumor
Phosphorylation
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Drug Discovery
Protein Kinase Inhibitors
Structure-Activity Relationship
Proteolysis

Chemicals

Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1
Antineoplastic Agents
Protein Kinase Inhibitors

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0HPK1kinasecancerexhibitedsafetyHematopoieticprogenitor1MAP4K1serine/threonineSER/THRidentifiednegativeimmuneregulatorT-cellreceptorsignalingDeprivationfunctionsuppressestumorgrowthprovidingattractivestrategyimmunotherapyHereinpresentnovelPROTAC-baseddegradercompoundhighselectivitypotencyshoweddose-dependentinhibitionSLP-76phosphorylationinductionIL-2IFN-��ComparedinhibitorsgoodefficacyfavorableprofileMC38modelSpecificallyoraladministration05mg/kgcombinationanti-PD1resultedsignificantsuppressionTGIvalue910%FurthermorelowriskcardiotoxicitywidewindowresearcheffortdemonstratespromisingpreclinicalcandidatePCCpotentialmono-comboimmunotherapyDiscoveryNovelPROTAC-BasedDegradersHighPotencySelectivityCancerImmunotherapy

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