Lapatinib, an approved EGFR inhibitor, was explored as a starting point for the synthesis of new hits against Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). Previous work culminated in 1 (NEU-1953), which was part of a series typically associated with poor aqueous solubility. In this report, we present various medicinal chemistry strategies that were used to increase the aqueous solubility and improve the physicochemical profile without sacrificing anti-trypanosome potency. To rank trypanocidal hits, a new assay (summarized in a *

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis present a significant burden across the developing world. Existing therapeutics for these protozoal neglected tropical diseases suffer from severe side effects and toxicity. Previously, NEU-1045 (3) was identified as a promising lead with cross-pathogen activity, though it possessed poor physicochemical properties. We have designed a library of analogues with improved calculated physicochemical properties built on the quinoline scaffold of 3 incorporating small, polar aminoheterocycles in place of the 4-(3-fluorobenzyloxy)aniline substituent. We report the biological activity of these inhibitors against Trypanosoma brucei (HAT), T. cruzi (Chagas disease), and Leishmania major (cutaneous leishmaniasis) and describe the identification of N-(5-chloropyrimidin-2-yl)-6-(4-(morpholinosulfonyl)phenyl)quinolin-4-amine (13t) as a promising inhibitor of L. major proliferation and 6-(4-(morpholinosulfonyl)phenyl)-N-(pyrimidin-4-yl)quinolin-4-amine (13j), a potent inhibitor of T. brucei proliferation with improved drug-like properties.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a deadly disease in need of new chemotherapeutics that can cross into the central nervous system. We previously reported the discovery of 2 (NEU-617), a small molecule with activity against T. brucei bloodstream proliferation. Further optimization of 2 to improve the physicochemical properties (LogP, LLE,[1] and MPO score)[2] have led us to twelve sub-micromolar compounds, most importantly the headgroup variants 9i and 9j, and the linker variant 18. Although these 3 compounds had reduced potency compared to 2, they all had improved LogP, LLE and MPO scores. Cross-screening these analogs against other protozoan parasites uncovered 9o with potent activity towards T. brucei, T. cruzi and L. major, while four others compounds (17, 18, 21, 26) showed activity towards P. falciparum D6. This reinforces the effectiveness of lead repurposing for the discovery of new protozoan disease therapeutics.

Utilizing a target repurposing and parasite-hopping approach, we tested a previously reported library of compounds that were active against Trypanosoma brucei, plus 31 new compounds, against a variety of protozoan parasites including Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania major, Leishmania donovani, and Plasmodium falciparum. This led to the discovery of several compounds with submicromolar activities and improved physicochemical properties that are early leads toward the development of chemotherapeutic agents against kinetoplastid diseases and malaria.

In this article, we review the disease, biology, and biochemistry of kinetoplastids, as well as the new drugs and drug candidates that have entered the clinic in the last decade. We also describe examples of the preclinical exploration of small molecules against various protein targets (e.g. cysteine proteases, the proteasome, and tubulin), as well as cutting‐edge molecular and computational strategies and technologies being brought to bear to discover and develop new antitrypanosomal drugs. For comprehensive descriptions of the disease, biology, and drug therapies prior to 2011, the reader is encouraged to review the article by P.M. Woster that appeared in 2010 in the seventh edition of Burger's Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Discovery, and Development, entitled Antiprotozoal/Antiparasitic Agents.