Covalent inhibitors of KRASG12C have shown antitumor activity against advanced/metastatic KRAS G12C-mutated cancers, though resistance emerges and additional strategies are needed to improve outcomes. JDQ443 is a structurally unique, covalent inhibitor of GDP-bound KRASG12C that forms novel interactions with the switch II pocket. JDQ443 potently inhibits KRASG12C-driven cellular signaling and demonstrates selective antiproliferative activity in KRAS G12C-mutated cell lines, including those with G12C/H95 double mutations. In vivo, JDQ443 induces AUC exposure-driven antitumor efficacy in KRAS G12C-mutated cell-derived (CDX) and patient-derived (PDX) tumor xenografts. In PDX models, single-agent JDQ443 activity is enhanced by combination with SHP2, MEK or CDK4/6 inhibitors. Notably, the benefit of JDQ443 plus the SHP2 inhibitor TNO155 is maintained at reduced doses of either agent in CDX models, consistent with mechanistic synergy. JDQ443 is in clinical development as monotherapy and in combination with TNO155, with both strategies showing antitumor activity in patients with KRAS G12C-mutated tumors.

A novel, selective, and efficacious GPR4 antagonist 13 was developed starting from lead compound 1a. While compound 1a showed promising efficacy in several disease models, its binding to a H receptor as well as a hERG channel prevented it from further development. Therefore, a new round of optimization addressing the key liabilities was performed and led to discovery of compound 13 with an improved profile. Compound 13 showed significant efficacy in the rat antigen induced arthritis as well as in the hyperalgesia and angiogenesis model at a well-tolerated dose of 30 mg/kg.

Misdirected catalytic activity of histone methyltransferase Dot1L is believed to be causative for a subset of highly aggressive acute leukemias. Targeting the catalytic domain of Dot1L represents a potential therapeutic approach for these leukemias. In the context of a comprehensive Dot1L hit finding strategy, a knowledge-based virtual screen of the Dot1L SAM binding pocket led to the discovery of 2, a non-nucleoside fragment mimicking key interactions of SAM bound to Dot1L. Fragment linking of 2 and 3, an induced back pocket binder identified in earlier studies, followed by careful ligand optimization led to the identification of 7, a highly potent, selective and structurally novel Dot1L inhibitor.

Hdm2 (human MDM2, human double minute 2 homologue) counteracts p53 function by direct binding to p53 and by ubiquitin‐dependent p53 protein degradation. Activation of p53 by inhibitors of the p53–Hdm2 interaction is being pursued as a therapeutic strategy in p53 wild‐type cancers. In addition, HdmX (human MDMX, human MDM4) was also identified as an important therapeutic target to efficiently reactivate p53, and it is likely that dual inhibition of Hdm2 and HdmX is beneficial. Herein we report four new X‐ray structures for Hdm2 and five new X‐ray structures for HdmX complexes, involving different classes of synthetic compounds (including the worldwide highest resolutions for Hdm2 and HdmX, at 1.13 and 1.20 Å, respectively). We also reveal the key additive 18‐crown‐ether, which we discovered to enable HdmX crystallization and show its stabilization of various Lys residues. In addition, we report the previously unpublished details of X‐ray structure determinations for eight further Hdm2 complexes, including the clinical trial compounds NVP‐CGM097 and NVP‐HDM201. An analysis of all compound binding modes reveals new and deepened insight into the possible adaptations and structural states of Hdm2 (e.g., flip of F55, flip of Y67, reorientation of H96) and HdmX (e.g., flip of H55, dimer induction), enabling key binding interactions for different compound classes. To facilitate comparisons, we used the same numbering for Hdm2 (as in Q00987) and HdmX (as in O15151, but minus 1). Taken together, these structural insights should prove useful for the design and optimization of further selective and/or dual Hdm2/HdmX inhibitors.

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