Ligand efficient tetrahydro-pyrazolopyridines as inhibitors of ERK2 kinase

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2015 Sep 1;25(17):3626-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.06.063. Epub 2015 Jun 25.

Abstract

A series of structure based drug design hypotheses and focused screening efforts drove improvements in the potency and lipophilic efficiency of tetrahydro-pyrazolopyridine based ERK2 inhibitors. Elaboration of a fragment chemical lead established a new lipophilic aryl-Tyr interaction resulting in a substantial potency improvement. Subsequent cleavage of the lipophilic moiety led to reconfiguration of the ligand bound binding cleft. The reconfiguration established a polar contact between a newly liberated N-H and a vicinal Asp, resulting in further improvements in lipophilic efficiency and in vitro clearance.

Keywords: ATP binding cleft; ERK2 kinase; Extraction ratio; Fragment lead; Structure based drug design.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Aspartic Acid / chemistry
  • Aspartic Acid / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Pyrazoles / chemistry*
  • Pyridines / chemistry*
  • Rats
  • Structure-Activity Relationship*

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyridines
  • pyrazolopyridine
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • MAPK1 protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1