Discovery of Non-Nucleotide Small-Molecule STING Agonists via Chemotype Hybridization

J Med Chem. 2022 Feb 24;65(4):3518-3538. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01986. Epub 2022 Feb 2.

Abstract

The identification of agonists of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway has been an area of intense research due to their potential to enhance innate immune response and tumor immunogenicity in the context of immuno-oncology therapy. Initial efforts to identify STING agonists focused on the modification of 2',3'-cGAMP (1) (an endogenous STING activator ligand) and other closely related cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs). While these efforts have successfully identified novel CDNs that have progressed into the clinic, their utility is currently limited to patients with solid tumors that STING agonists can be delivered to intratumorally. Herein, we report the discovery of a unique class of non-nucleotide small-molecule STING agonists that demonstrate antitumor activity when dosed intratumorally in a syngeneic mouse model.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cyclic AMP / chemistry
  • Cyclic AMP / pharmacology
  • Cyclic GMP / chemistry
  • Cyclic GMP / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Membrane Proteins / agonists*
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Small Molecule Libraries

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • STING1 protein, human
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Cyclic GMP