Potent GCN2 Inhibitor Capable of Reversing MDSC-Driven T Cell Suppression Demonstrates In Vivo Efficacy as a Single Agent and in Combination with Anti-Angiogenesis Therapy

J Med Chem. 2022 Oct 13;65(19):12895-12924. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00736. Epub 2022 Sep 20.

Abstract

General control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) protein kinase is a cellular stress sensor within the tumor microenvironment (TME), whose signaling cascade has been proposed to contribute to immune escape in tumors. Herein, we report the discovery of cell-potent GCN2 inhibitors with excellent selectivity against its closely related Integrated Stress Response (ISR) family members heme-regulated inhibitor kinase (HRI), protein kinase R (PKR), and (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), as well as good kinome-wide selectivity and favorable PK. In mice, compound 39 engages GCN2 at levels ≥80% with an oral dose of 15 mg/kg BID. We also demonstrate the ability of compound 39 to alleviate MDSC-related T cell suppression and restore T cell proliferation, similar to the effect seen in MDSCs from GCN2 knockout mice. In the LL2 syngeneic mouse model, compound 39 demonstrates significant tumor growth inhibition (TGI) as a single agent. Furthermore, TGI mediated by anti-VEGFR was enhanced by treatment with compound 39 demonstrating the complementarity of these two mechanisms.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Heme
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • eIF-2 Kinase* / metabolism

Substances

  • Heme
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • eIF-2 Kinase