New epigenetic agents: therapeutic approach in cancer

Transcription

1 New epigenetic agents: therapeutic approach in cancer Madrid, 2 de julio de 2014

2 Outline Institution: CIMA Project Partnering Opportunities 2

3 WHAT IS CIMA? CIMA The Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) is private non-profit biomedical research institution of the University of Navarra, based in Pamplona, Spain. CIMA carries out high quality scientific work with a strong translational focus. 3

4 CIMA. De-risking Drug Discovery Process CUN Medical Center CIMA Translating Basic Science Pharmaceutical Industry Drug Discovery & Development Clinical FDA Target Rich - BioBank - Patient Data 4

5 CIMA. De-risking Drug Discovery Process CUN Medical Center CIMA Translating Basic Science Pharmaceutical Industry Target Rich - BioBank - Patient Data Target ID and Validation Basic Biological Research - sirna, MoA, KO mice, peptides, - Cellular & Animal Models Drug Discovery Gene Therapy Molecular Therapeutics Drug Discovery & Development Clinical FDA Translational Medicine Bidirectional data analysis to identify and/or prioritize clinically relevant molecular targets or pathways. Basic Science Advanced basic research to decipher MoA underlying clinical evidence. Implementation of in-vitro or/and in-vivo assays for unequivocal assessment: PoC Drug Discovery Proprietary tool(s), biologics or/and small molecules, for in-vivo PoC: efficacy & safety 5

6 CIMA. De-risking Drug Discovery Process From Bed to Bench and Back CUN Medical Center CIMA Translating Basic Science Pharmaceutical Industry Target Rich - BioBank - Patient Data Target ID and Validation Basic Biological Research - sirna, MoA, KO mice, peptides, - Cellular & Animal Models Drug Discovery Gene Therapy Molecular Therapeutics Goal: Partnering Licensing Drug Discovery & Development Clinical FDA Expected Deliverables: i.- Novel Target / MoA ii.- In-vitro & In-vivo PoC with drug-like molecules or biologics: Efficacy & Safety Advanced Lead(s) iii.- Lead(s) with proprietary IP (Availability for further development) iv.- Know-how 6

7 Projects Overview Target(s) Therapeutic effect Target Validation Hit Patent (IP) Hit Explosion in-vitro assays ADMET/PK Lead ID In-Vivo Efficacy Business Development A & B PMT & DNMT Gene7 Gene70 Alzheimer`s Disease Anti-neoplastic Wilson s Disease Anti-coagulant IP & validated targets C Anti-neoplastic Chemical Probes identified (IP and no IP) To Validate Targets and/or MoA D Anti-neoplastic E F G Anti-fibrotic Immune regulation Huntington Assay established Assay to be defined To identify chemical probes 7

8 Projects Overview Target(s) Therapeutic effect Target Validation Hit Patent (IP) Hit Explosion in-vitro assays ADMET/PK Lead ID In-Vivo Efficacy Business Development A & B PMT & DNMT Gene7 Gene70 Alzheimer`s Disease Anti-neoplastic Wilson s Disease Anti-coagulant IP & validated targets C Anti-neoplastic Chemical Probes identified (IP and no IP) To Validate Targets and/or MoA D Anti-neoplastic E F G Anti-fibrotic Immune regulation Huntington Assay established Assay to be defined To identify chemical probes 8

9 Projects Overview Target(s) Therapeutic effect Target Validation Hit Patent (IP) Hit Explosion in-vitro assays ADMET/PK Lead ID In-Vivo Efficacy Business Development A & B PMT & DNMT Gene7 Gene70 Alzheimer`s Disease Anti-neoplastic Wilson s Disease Anti-coagulant IP & validated targets C Anti-neoplastic Chemical Probes identified (IP and no IP) To Validate Targets and/or MoA D Anti-neoplastic E F G Anti-fibrotic Immune regulation Huntington Assay established Assay to be defined To identify chemical probes 9

10 Outline Institution: CIMA Project Partnering Opportunities 10

11 : Cancer Aim Effective therapeutic agents targeting a novel epigenetic MoA: Unmet needs in cancer Approach 1. Target identification strategies: sirnas, functional and expression studies 2. Targets validation 3. Hit ID (proprietary chemical series, IP). 4. Hit Explosion and Lead(s) ID, acceptable PK, in-vivo PoC 5. Lead Optimization On-going 11

12 Target Identification Use of sirnas Expression studies: RNA-seq, ChIP on Chip 12

13 Target Identification. Hematologic disorders MBTs: Target7 Target8 KDMs: Target4 Target5 PMTs: Target1 Target2 Target3 BRDs: Target6 13

14 Target ID & Validation. Hematologic disorders Target1 is a mammalian histone methyltransferase that contributes to the epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes. Target 1 inhibition with sirna in ALL cell lines Neg si1 Target 1 β-actin H3me2 H3me3 H3 total 14

15 Target ID & Validation. Hematologic disorders DNMTs (DNA methyl transferases) State of the art: - Azacitidine - Decitabine Marketed irreversible covalent complex with DNMT1 where DNA hypomethylation is observed at 300nM & 30nM respectively - SGI-110 Phase 2 irreversible covalent complex with DNMT1 15

16 Target ID & Validation. Hematologic disorders DNMTs (DNA methyl transferases) ALL cell lines T-ALL BCR-ABL1+ ALL TEL-AML1+ ALL E2A-PBX1+ ALLL MYC+ ALL MLL+ ALL pre-b ALL Common ALL Methylation level Agirre X, Vilas-Zornoza A. PLoS ONE 2011 HDPB CD19 HDPB CD3 HDPB HD ALL 16

17 Biological Chemistry: Hit ID Aim: i.- First-in-class dual and reversible inhibitors: molecules targeting Target1 & DNMTs ii.- Novel chemical series with proprietary IP Approach: - Knowledge-based - Structure-based de-novo design Achievement: Synthesis IP patent filed in June

18 Medicinal Chemistry: Lead ID Aim: From Hit Explosion to Lead ID Approach: R1 R2 Novel Chemical Series R4 R3 a) Synthesis of new compounds to establish Structure Activity/Property Relationships (SAR/SPR) b) Workflow, SAR SPR i.- Design ii.- Synthesis iii.- In-vitro binding assays (vs Target 1 & DNMT1) (initial decision point) iv.- In-vitro cellular assay (MTS) v.- In-vitro functional assay (cellular, epigenetic marks) vi.- Toxicity (THLE-2 & PBMC) (decision point) vii.- ADME profiling viii.- Pharmacokinetics (decision point) ix.- In-vivo efficacy model(s) 18

19 Lead ID: Biochemical Profiling Aim: From Hit Explosion to Lead ID 71 compounds synthesized R1 R2 Novel Chemical Series R4 R3 Biochemical assay vs Target 1 & DNMT1 0.1 nm 1 nm 10 nm 100 nm Target 1 pic 50 1 µm References: Compound 1 Compound 2 Proprietary Molecules 19

20 Lead ID: Functional profiling Selected, from our proprietary chemical series, as pharmacological tool compounds: CM-272 & CM-579 Epigenetic marks, in-vitro cellular Target 1 IC 50 (nm) 9 7 DNMT1 IC 50 (nm) DNMT3A IC 50 (nm) DNMT3B IC 50 (nm) PEER cell line CM-272 (µm) C+ C- CEMO-1 cell line mH3 H3 total EC 50 ~ 100 nm 5-methylcytosine CM-272 (µm) EC 50 ~ 100 nm 5-methylcytosine CM-579 (µm) EC 50 ~ 100 nm 20

21 Lead ID: Cell proliferation Aim: From Hit Explosion to Lead ID 71 compounds synthesized R1 R2 Novel Chemical Series R4 R3 Biochemical assay vs Target 1 & DNMT1; colour-coded by cellular activity vs CEMO-1 1µM 0.1 nm 1 nm 10 nm 100 nm Target 1 pic 50 % growth-inhibition 1 µm 500 nm 100 nm 21

22 Comparison: Proprietary Lead Molecules vs References Heat-map, proliferation (GI 50 ) ALL AML MM Compound 1 Reference Target 1 inhibitors Compound 2 CEMO CM-272 CIMA dual inhibitors PROLIFERACIÓN (%) Log [CM272], um GI 50 : 218 nm Reference DNMT inhibitors pgi GI 50 >50µM 10µM 1µM 100nM 22

23 Comparison: Proprietary Lead Molecules vs References Apoptosis, MV4-11 cell line AML (Myeomonocytic) Reference Target 1 inhibitors Compound 1 385nM AV+: 33,3% Compound 2 385nM AV+: 32,1% Control CM nM * CM nM * AV+: 32,2% AV+: 69,1% AV+: 54% CIMA dual inhibitors Azacitidine 385nM Decitabine 385nM AV+: 33,4% AV+: 39,8% Reference DNMT inhibitors *GI 50 23

24 Lead ID. Cell lines panel Selected compounds, CM-272 & 1µM vs 40 cell lines (Solid Tumors) GI 50 (nm) GI 50 (nm) GI 50 (nm) GI 50 (nm) GI 50 (nm) % growth-inhibition 24

25 Lead ID. Impact on bladder cancer Proliferation Epigenetic marks MGH-U3 MGH-U3 5mC GI 50 = 539,6nM Cell Proliferation (%) GI 50 = 141,43nM Cell Proliferation (%) MGH-U3 MGH-U Log [CM-272], µm Log [CM-579], µm CM-272 (µm) MGH-U4 MGH-U4 MGH-U GI 50 = 609,7nM Cell Proliferation (%) GI 50 = 187,4nM Cell Proliferation (%) mH3 H3 total Log [CM-272], µm Log [CM-579], µm CM-272 (µm) CM-272 (µm) 25

26 Lead ID. ADME profiling Selected, from our proprietary chemical series, as pharmacological tool compounds: CM-272 & CM-579 In-Vitro ADME & Off-target selectivity profiling P450s: 1A2, 2C19, 2C9, 2D6, 3A4 10µM) CM-272 CM-579 CV safety ADME PK Off Target Toxicity Plasma Protein Binding (% unbound) Solubility (>100 ph=7.4 PAMPA (Pe 10-6 in nm/s) Liver Microsomal Stability (t 1/2 estimation) in minutes 24.4(H), 25.0(M) 14.7 (H), 4.6(M) 0.16 (Low) 0.01 (Low) >145(H), 35.2 (M) 133 (H), 10.4 (M) herg binding (IC 50 >100 µm) Patch Clamp (IC 50 >50 µm) on-going on-going PBMC (LC 50, µm) 9.8 >100 THLE (LC 50, µm) additional epigenetic targets (<50% 10µM) 34 Mice (i.v.); e.g. V ss, t 1/2 & C 2.5 mg/kg 0.7 (L), 24 (h) & on-going 406 (nm) 26

27 Lead ID. In-Vivo Proof-of-Concept (PoC) Selected, from our proprietary chemical series, as pharmacological tool compound for in-vivo PoC: CM-272 Pharmacokinetic study & Therapeutic window - Based on PK parameters, based on i.v. and i.p administration, simulations of CM-272 plasmatic concentrations THLE-2, LC 50 = 1.8 µm CEMO-1, GI 50 = 218 nm Predicted CM-272 plasmatic concentration (nm) evolution vs time after i.v. (2.5mg/kg) administration every 24 h during 3 weeks. 27

28 Lead ID. In-Vivo Proof-of-Concept (PoC) Selected, from our proprietary chemical series, as pharmacological tool compound for in-vivo PoC: CM-272 CEMO-1 10x10 6 Day 0 Day +3 iv 2,5mg/kg n = 6 28 days Mice weight (mgs) % human cells at day 3 Liver 10,38 34,83% Blood 0 0% Spleen 0,54 1,2% Kidney 18,38 34,83% Bone Marrow 1 1,8% days Liver Control CM-272 Liver Control CM-272 2mH3 5-mC p< H3 total 28

29 Timeline & Next Steps: Lead Optimization Timeline Hit to Lead 1FTE 2FTE Lead ID. In-vivo PoC Lead Optimization Q15 May 12 sirna screening Hit ID Chemical probe Target1 & DNMT assays Epigenetic Marks Patent application filed Optimized Lead in-vivo - Hematological tumors - Solid Tumors Druggability assessment Dec 12 Lead Optimization process is on-going, mainly focused on: i.- Improving cell permeability ii.- Pharmacokinetics (oral admin) iii.- Increasing therapeutic window 29

30 Outline Institution: CIMA Project Partnering Opportunities 30

31 Partnering Opportunities Value Proposition - Novel Mode of Action: Target 1 & DNMTs a) Their corresponding functional epigenetic marks overexpressed in several cancer cell lines b) This dual inhibition leads to synergistic effect in epigenetic mechanistic pathway. - First-in-class dual and reversible inhibitors targetting Target1 and DNMTs - Proprietary chemical series; patent filed in June Pairwise comparison using FDA approved irreversible DNMT inhibitors and Target 1 reference inhibitors vs our dual inhibitors clearly highlights higher efficacy in cell proliferation and apoptosis. - Identified lead compound for in-vivo Proof of Concept: a) Remarkable overall survivial, no toxicity issue b) Epigenetic marks as biomarkers for efficacy assessment 31

32 Partnering Opportunities Partnering Two scenarios are initially envisioned: 1.- Product license (IP) 2- Stepwise research investment & first option (right of first refusal) 32

33 Acknowledgements Jesús Hernández, PhD Felipe Prosper, PhD Lab. Small Molecule Discovery (SMD) Platform Xabier Agirre, PhD Edurne San José, PhD Amaia Vilas, PhD Juanro Rodriguez, PhD Bruno Paiva, PhD. Obdulia Rabal, PhD Juan Antonio Sánchez, PhD Ana Ugarte, PhD M. Musheng, PhD W. Wei, PhD B. Teng, PhD Jose Angel Climent, PhD Sergio Roa, PhD Matias Avila, PhD 33

34 Thank you! 34