Compound
NVP-BEZ235 (1) is a potent inhibitor of human
phospoinositide-3-kinases and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)
that also showed high inhibitory potency against Trypanosoma
brucei cultures. With an eye toward using 1 as a starting point for anti-trypanosomal drug discovery, we report
efforts to reduce host cell toxicity, to improve the physicochemical
properties, and to improve the selectivity profile over human kinases.
In this work, we have developed structure–activity relationships
for analogues of 1 and have prepared analogues of 1 with improved solubility properties and good predicted central
nervous system exposure. In this way, we have identified 4e, 9, 16e, and 16g as the most
promising leads to date. We also report cell phenotype and phospholipidomic
studies that suggest that these compounds exert their anti-trypanosomal
effects, at least in part, by inhibition of lipid kinases.