Structure-Based Design and Synthesis of 3-Amino-1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazolopyridin-4-one Derivatives as Tyrosine Kinase 2 Inhibitors

J Med Chem. 2016 Jan 28;59(2):733-49. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01857. Epub 2016 Jan 8.

Abstract

We report herein the discovery and optimization of 3-amino-1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazolopyridin-4-one TYK2 inhibitors. High-throughput screening against TYK2 and JAK1-3 provided aminoindazole derivative 1 as a hit compound. Scaffold hopping of the aminoindazole core led to the discovery of 3-amino-1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazolopyridin-4-one derivative 3 as a novel chemotype of TYK2 inhibitors. Interestingly, initial SAR study suggested that this scaffold could have a vertically flipped binding mode, which prompted us to introduce a substituent at the 7-position as a moiety directed toward the solvent-exposed region. Introduction of a 1-methyl-3-pyrazolyl moiety at the 7-position resulted in a dramatic increase in TYK2 inhibitory activity, and further optimization led to the discovery of 20. Compound 20 inhibited IL-23-induced IL-22 production in a rat PD assay, as well as inhibited IL-23 signaling in human PBMC. Furthermore, 20 showed selectivity for IL-23 signaling inhibition against GM-CSF, demonstrating the unique cytokine selectivity of the novel TYK2 inhibitor.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Design
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-22
  • Interleukin-23 / pharmacology
  • Interleukins / biosynthesis
  • Janus Kinase 2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Male
  • Models, Molecular
  • Monocytes / drug effects
  • Monocytes / enzymology
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Lew
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • TYK2 Kinase / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Interleukin-23
  • Interleukins
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Janus Kinase 2
  • TYK2 Kinase
  • TYK2 protein, human