Discovery of 2 H-Indazole-3-carboxamide Derivatives as Novel Potent Prostanoid EP4 Receptor Antagonists for Colorectal Cancer Immunotherapy

J Med Chem. 2023 May 11;66(9):6218-6238. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02058. Epub 2023 Mar 7.

Abstract

Nowadays, small-molecule drugs have become an indispensable part of tumor immunotherapy. Accumulating evidence has indicated that specifically blocking PGE2/EP4 signaling to induce robust antitumor immune response represents an attractive immunotherapy strategy. Herein, a 2H-indazole-3-carboxamide containing compound 1 was identified as a EP4 antagonist hit by screening our in-house small-molecule library. Systematic structure-activity relationship exploration leads to the discovery of compound 14, which displayed single-nanomolar EP4 antagonistic activity in a panel of cell functional assays, high subtype selectivity, and favorable drug-like profiles. Moreover, compound 14 profoundly inhibited the up-regulation of multiple immunosuppression-related genes in macrophages. Oral administration of compound 14, either as monotherapy or in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody, significantly impaired tumor growth via enhancing cytotoxic CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immunity in a syngeneic colon cancer model. Thus, these results demonstrate the potential of compound 14 as a candidate for developing novel EP4 antagonists for tumor immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Colonic Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Indazoles* / chemistry
  • Indazoles* / pharmacology
  • Prostaglandins
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP4 Subtype* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Prostaglandins
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP4 Subtype
  • Indazoles