Discovery of ERD-308 as a Highly Potent Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) Degrader of Estrogen Receptor (ER)

J Med Chem. 2019 Feb 14;62(3):1420-1442. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01572. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Abstract

The estrogen receptor (ER) is a validated target for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. Here, we describe the design, synthesis, and extensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of small-molecule ERα degraders based on the proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) concept. Our efforts have resulted in the discovery of highly potent and effective PROTAC ER degraders, as exemplified by ERD-308 (32). ERD-308 achieves DC50 (concentration causing 50% of protein degradation) values of 0.17 and 0.43 nM in MCF-7 and T47D ER+ breast cancer cell lines, respectively, and induces >95% of ER degradation at concentrations as low as 5 nM in both cell lines. Significantly, ERD-308 induces more complete ER degradation than fulvestrant, the only approved selective ER degrader (SERD), and is more effective in inhibition of cell proliferation than fulvestrant in MCF-7 cells. Further optimization of ERD-308 may lead to a new therapy for advanced ER+ breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dipeptides / chemical synthesis
  • Dipeptides / chemistry
  • Dipeptides / pharmacology*
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Molecular Structure
  • Proteolysis
  • Pyrrolidines / chemical synthesis
  • Pyrrolidines / chemistry
  • Pyrrolidines / pharmacology*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / chemistry
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Thiophenes / chemical synthesis
  • Thiophenes / chemistry
  • Thiophenes / pharmacology*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Dipeptides
  • Ligands
  • Pyrrolidines
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Thiophenes
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases