NAMPT is an attractive target in cancer therapy and numerous NAMPT inhibitors have been developed. However, the clinical activities of NAMPT inhibitors have displayed disappointing results in clinical trials for their dose-limiting toxicities. In this study, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive prodrugs of a NAMPT inhibitor FK866 were designed and synthesized. A short synthesis method was developed to shield the activity of FK866 through a quaternary ammonium connection. Two prodrugs, with boronic acid as a responsive group to ROS, were prepared and one of the prodrugs 122-066 also contained a fluorescence carrier. Both of the prodrugs released the active compound by the treatment of H2O2,, and the biological evaluation showed that they exhibited a higher potency in cells with high levels of ROS. Moreover, prodrug 122-066 had the ability to release FK866 and simultaneously induce the fluorescence activation under the stimulation of H2O2. This method has the potential to improve the therapeutic window of NAMPT inhibitors.
Keywords: FK866; NAMPT inhibitor; ROS-responsive release; prodrug.