Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Amidobenzimidazole Analogues Leading to Potent and Systemically Administrable Stimulator of Interferon Gene (STING) Agonists

J Med Chem. 2021 Feb 11;64(3):1649-1669. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01900. Epub 2021 Jan 20.

Abstract

Activation of the stimulator of interferon gene (STING) has emerged as an exciting immuno-oncology therapeutic strategy; however, the first-generation STING agonists, cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) analogues, have suffered from many disadvantages and failed in clinical trials. Therefore, non-CDN small-molecule STING agonists are urgently needed. In view of the unique structure of the high potency of dimeric amidobenzimidazole STING agonist 5, a structural elaboration was conducted by modifying several structural hotspots of this scaffold. Triazole 40 was identified as a new potent STING activator, possessing EC50 values of 0.24 and 39.51 μM for h- and m-STING, respectively. This compound has a slightly better pharmacokinetic profile and is >20-fold more aqueously soluble than 5. It activated the STING signaling dramatically by directly binding and stabilizing all h-STING isoforms and m-STING. In vivo, intermittent administration of 40 was found to have significant antitumor efficacy with good tolerance in two mouse tumor models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Benzimidazoles / chemical synthesis*
  • Benzimidazoles / pharmacokinetics
  • Benzimidazoles / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / agonists*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Molecular
  • Solubility
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzimidazoles
  • Membrane Proteins
  • STING1 protein, human
  • Sting1 protein, mouse