Discovery of ZN-c3, a Highly Potent and Selective Wee1 Inhibitor Undergoing Evaluation in Clinical Trials for the Treatment of Cancer

J Med Chem. 2021 Sep 9;64(17):13004-13024. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01121. Epub 2021 Aug 23.

Abstract

Wee1 inhibition has received great attention in the past decade as a promising therapy for cancer treatment. Therefore, a potent and selective Wee1 inhibitor is highly desirable. Our efforts to make safer and more efficacious Wee1 inhibitors led to the discovery of compound 16, a highly selective Wee1 inhibitor with balanced potency, ADME, and pharmacokinetic properties. The chiral ethyl moiety of compound 16 provided an unexpected improvement of Wee1 potency. Compound 16, known as ZN-c3, showed excellent in vivo efficacy and is currently being evaluated in phase 2 clinical trials.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Area Under Curve
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dogs
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Discovery*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Half-Life
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • WEE1 protein, human