» Articles » PMID: 32832022

Discovery of Potent and Orally Available Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane-Derived Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) Inhibitors

Abstract

Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibition and its combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors like have drawn considerable attention from both academia and the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we describe the discovery of a novel class of highly potent IDO1 heme-displacing inhibitors featuring a unique bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane motif. Compound , evolving from an ALIS (automated ligand identification system) hit, exhibited excellent potency but lacked the desired pharmacokinetic profile due to extensive amide hydrolysis of the benzamide moiety. Replacing the central phenyl ring in with a bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane bioisostere effectively circumvented the amide hydrolysis issue, resulting in the discovery of compound with a favorable overall profile such as excellent potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics, and a low predicted human dose.

Citing Articles

Modular access to saturated bioisosteres of anilines via photoelectrochemical decarboxylative C(sp)-N coupling.

Yuan K, Zhuang H, Wei J, Shen Y, Yao H, Li M Nat Commun. 2025; 16(1):920.

PMID: 39843427 PMC: 11754425. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54648-6.


Light-enabled scalable synthesis of bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane halides and their functionalizations.

Ripenko V, Sham V, Levchenko V, Holovchuk S, Vysochyn D, Klymov I Nat Synth. 2024; 3(12):1538-1549.

PMID: 39664797 PMC: 11628397. DOI: 10.1038/s44160-024-00637-y.


C-F bond activation enables synthesis of aryl difluoromethyl bicyclopentanes as benzophenone-type bioisosteres.

Chen M, Cui Y, Chen X, Shang R, Zhang X Nat Commun. 2024; 15(1):419.

PMID: 38199996 PMC: 10781780. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44653-6.


Expanding the Frontier of Linear Drug Design: Cu-Catalyzed C -C -Coupling of Electron-Deficient SF -Alkynes with Alkyl Iodides.

Narra S, Bacho M, Hattori M, Shibata N Adv Sci (Weinh). 2023; 11(11):e2306554.

PMID: 38161224 PMC: 10953538. DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306554.


Selective P450 Hydroxylation of Cyclobutylamine and Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentylamine Derivatives: Underpinning Synthetic Chemistry for Drug Discovery.

Harwood L, Xiong Z, Christensen K, Wang R, Wong L, Robertson J J Am Chem Soc. 2023; 145(50):27767-27773.

PMID: 38051939 PMC: 10740007. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10542.


References
1.
Lewis-Ballester A, Pham K, Batabyal D, Karkashon S, Bonanno J, Poulos T . Structural insights into substrate and inhibitor binding sites in human indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1. Nat Commun. 2017; 8(1):1693. PMC: 5700043. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01725-8. View

2.
Ricciuti B, Leonardi G, Puccetti P, Fallarino F, Bianconi V, Sahebkar A . Targeting indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase in cancer: Scientific rationale and clinical evidence. Pharmacol Ther. 2018; 196:105-116. DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.12.004. View

3.
Adams J, Smothers J, Srinivasan R, Hoos A . Big opportunities for small molecules in immuno-oncology. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2015; 14(9):603-22. DOI: 10.1038/nrd4596. View

4.
Wang X, Sun S, Dong Q, Wu X, Tang W, Xing Y . Recent advances in the discovery of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibitors. Medchemcomm. 2020; 10(10):1740-1754. PMC: 7003884. DOI: 10.1039/c9md00208a. View

5.
Locke G, Bernhard S, Senge M . Nonconjugated Hydrocarbons as Rigid-Linear Motifs: Isosteres for Material Sciences and Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry. Chemistry. 2018; 25(18):4590-4647. DOI: 10.1002/chem.201804225. View