In the title compound, C19H16N4O3, the stereocenter has an l configuration; l-tryptophan methyl ester hydro-chloride being used as a starting material. The indole ring system and the pyridine ring are inclined to one another by 13.55 (14)°. In the crystal, adjacent mol-ecules are linked via N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains propagating along the c-axis direction.