The CINOD, AZD3582, exhibits an improved gastrointestinal safety profile compared with naproxen in healthy volunteers

COX-inhibiting nitric oxide donators (CINODs) are a new class of drugs in development for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. They comprise a COX-inhibiting moiety linked to a nitric-oxide-donating component and are designed to provide an innovative mechanism of action of balanced COX inhibition and controlled nitric oxide donation. Through these pathways, CINODs should provide analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficacy, while offering gastrointestinal safety through the tissue-protective effects of nitric oxide donation. AZD3582 [4-(nitrooxy)butyl-(2S)-2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propanoate] is the first agent in the CINOD class to enter extensive clinical development. Pre-clinical studies demonstrate that AZD3582 has a superior gastrointestinal safety profile to naproxen, while demonstrating analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficacy. In healthy human volunteers, AZD3582 caused little gastrointestinal damage compared with equimolar doses of naproxen. Studies to evaluate the longer-term gastrointestinal safety of AZD3582, alongside its efficacy in alleviating chronic and acute pain, are ongoing.     

Novel glucocorticoid receptor agonists in the treatment of asthma

Introduction: Inhaled corticosteroids are the only drugs that effectively suppress the airway inflammation, but they can induce considerable systemic and adverse effects when they are administered chronically at high doses. Consequently, the pharmaceutical industry is still searching for newer entities with an improved therapeutic index.

Areas covered: Herein, the authors review the research in the glucocorticoid field to identify ligands of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). These ligands preferentially induce transrepression with little or no transactivating activity, in order to have a potent anti-inflammatory action and a low side-effects profile.

Expert opinion: Several agents have been synthesized, but few have been tested in experimental models of asthma. Furthermore, only three (BI-54903, GW870086X and AZD5423) have entered clinical development, although the development of at least one of them (BI-54903) was discontinued. The reason for the limited success so far obtained is that the model of transactivation versus transrepression is a too simplistic representation of GR activity. It is difficult to uncouple the therapeutic and harmful effects mediated by GR, but some useful information that might change the current perspective is appearing in the literature. The generation of gene expression ‘fingerprints’ produced by different GR agonists in target and off-target human tissues could be useful in identifying drug candidates with an improved therapeutic ratio.     

双 mTORC1/2 抑制剂 AZD2014 可抑制大鼠肝移植后的急性排斥反应

目的 在同种异基因大鼠肝移植模型中验证AZD2014是否具有抑制肝移植术后急性排斥反应的作用。方法 采用Kamada 提出的“二袖套”法建立Lewis→BN 同种异基因大鼠肝移植急性排斥反应模型,随机分成对照组和AZD2014组,各4只。AZD2014组腹腔内注射AZD2014药物,5 mg/kg,1次/d;对照组腹腔内注射药物溶剂2.5 mL/kg,1次/d。不同时间点取外周血检测肝功能（丙氨酸氨基转移酶、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶和总胆红素）。记录生存时间,进行生存分析。移植肝脏行免疫组化检测CD3和Foxp3的表达水平,评估T淋巴细胞和Treg淋巴细胞浸润的程度;移植肝脏行HE染色,采用Banff方案评估肝移植术后排斥反应的严重程度。结果 对照组在术后14 d内有3/4 的大鼠死亡,而AZD2014组在术后14 d内无大鼠死亡,AZD2014组与对照组相比生存时间明显延长（χ2=4.213,P=0.040）。对照组血清中ALT、AST和TBIL进行性升高,上述指标均高于同时间AZD2014组（P<0.05）。病理检查显示对照组移植肝内排斥反应明显重于AZD2014组（排斥指数P<0.01）,对照组中T淋巴细胞（CD3阳性）浸润相较于AZD2014组更为严重（P<0.01）,而Treg细胞（Foxp3阳性）明显少于AZD2014组（P<0.01）。结论 双mTORC1/2抑制剂AZD2014可以有效地抑制同种异基因大鼠肝移植术后的急性排斥反应。     

Checkpoint kinase 1 protein expression indicates sensitization to therapy by checkpoint kinase 1 inhibition in non–small cell lung cancer

Background

When presenting with advanced stage disease, lung cancer patients have <5% 5-y survival. The overexpression of checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is associated with poorer outcomes and may contribute to therapy resistance. Targeting CHK1 with small-molecule inhibitors in p53 mutant tumors might improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

We evaluated CHK1 messenger RNA and protein levels in multiple NSCLC cell lines. We assessed cell line sensitization to gemcitabine, pemetrexed, and radiotherapy by CHK1 inhibition with the small molecule AZD7762 using proliferation and clonogenic cell survival assays. We analyzed CHK1 signaling by Western blotting to confirm that AZD7762 inhibits CHK1.

Results

We selected two p53 mutant NSCLC cell lines with either high (H1299) or low (H1993) CHK1 levels for further analysis. We found that AZD7762 sensitized both cell lines to gemcitabine, pemetrexed, and radiotherapy. Chemosensitization levels were greater, however, for the higher CHK1 protein expressing cell line, H1299, when compared with H1993. Furthermore, analysis of the CHK1 signaling pathway showed that H1299 cells have an increased dependence on the CHK1 pathway in response to chemotherapy. There was no increased sensitization to radiation in H1299 versus H1993.

Conclusions

CHK1 inhibition by AZD7762 preferentially sensitizes high CHK1 expressing cells, H1299, to anti-metabolite chemotherapy as compared with low CHK1 expressing H1993 cells. Thus, CHK1 inhibitors may improve the efficacy of standard lung cancer therapies, especially for those subgroups of tumors harboring higher expression levels of CHK1 protein.     

The selective Aurora B kinase inhibitor AZD1152 is a potential new treatment for multiple myeloma

Aurora kinases are potential targets for cancer therapy. Previous studies have validated Aurora kinase A as a therapeutic target in multiple myeloma (MM), and have demonstrated in vitro anti-myeloma effects of small molecule Aurora kinase inhibitors that inhibit both Aurora A and B. This study demonstrated that Aurora B kinase was strongly expressed in myeloma cell lines and primary plasma cells. The selective Aurora B inhibitor AZD1152-induced apoptotic death in myeloma cell lines at nanomolar concentrations, with a cell cycle phenotype consistent with that reported previously for Aurora B inhibition. In some cases, AZD1152 in combination with dexamethasone showed increased anti-myeloma activity compared with the use of either agent alone. AZD1152 was active against sorted CD138(+) BM plasma cells from myeloma patients but also, as expected, was toxic to CD138(-) marrow cells from the same patients. In a murine myeloma xenograft model, AZD1152-inhibited tumour growth at well-tolerated doses and induced cell death in established tumours, with associated mild, transient leucopenia. AZD1152 shows promise in these preclinical studies as a novel treatment for MM.     

新一代口服直接凝血酶因子Ⅱa抑制剂AZD0837

凝血因子Ⅱ在凝血级联反应中处于下游的关键位置,被激活后形成凝血酶而催化纤维蛋白原产生纤维蛋白导致凝血,因此其为血栓形成的关键因素。抑制凝血酶可以延长凝血时间,减少血栓形成风险。英国AstraZeneca公司研发的新一代口服直接凝血酶因子Ⅱa抑制剂AZD0837可用于治疗和预防心房颤动引起的卒中和深静脉血栓的发生。目前已经公布的临床前、临床Ⅰ期和Ⅱ期实验数据显示,其具有优于华法林的治疗效果,因此具有巨大的市场潜力。     

Comparison of ticagrelor and thienopyridine P2Y12 binding characteristics and antithrombotic and bleeding effects in rat and dog models of thrombosis/hemostasis

Ticagrelor (AZD6140), the first reversibly binding oral P2Y₁₂ receptor antagonist, blocks adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation via a mode of action distinct from that of thienopyridine antiplatelet agents. The latter must be metabolically activated and binds irreversibly to P2Y₁₂ for the life of the platelet, precluding restoration of hemostatic function without the generation of new platelets. In in vitro studies comparing binding characteristics of ticagrelor and compound 105, a chemical compound indistinguishable from the active metabolite of prasugrel, ticagrelor exhibited 1) an approximately 100-fold higher affinity for P2Y₁₂ and rapid achievement of equilibrium (vs no equilibrium reached with compound 105) as assessed by radioligand displacement in a receptor filtration binding assay, 2) 48-fold greater potency in a functional receptor assay using recombinant human P2Y₁₂, and 3) 63-fold greater potency in inhibiting ADP-induced aggregation in washed human platelets. In rat and dog models of thrombosis/hemostasis, there was greater separation between doses that provided antithrombotic effect and those that increased bleeding for ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel and compound 072, a chemical compound indistinguishable from the prasugrel parent compound. The ratio of dose resulting in 3-fold increase in bleeding time to dose resulting in 50% restoration of blood flow in rats was 9.7 for ticagrelor compared with 2.0 for clopidogrel and 1.4 for compound 072. Similar results were observed in dogs. Our findings suggest that reversibility of P2Y₁₂ binding with ticagrelor may account for the greater separation between antithrombotic effects and increased bleeding compared with the irreversible binding of clopidogrel and prasugrel.     

mTOR抑制剂AZD2014对肝癌细胞的增殖抑制作用及其机制研究

目的：初步探讨mTOR抑制剂AZD2014对肝癌细胞的增殖抑制作用及其机制。方法：先采用CCK-8法检测不同浓度的AZD2014（10、100、500、1 000 nmol/L）对肝癌细胞增殖的作用,再分别采用荧光定量PCR和Western blot法检测肝癌细胞中含植物同源结构和环指域泛素样蛋白1（UHRF1）mRNA和蛋白的表达水平。结果：细胞增殖实验结果显示,10、100、500、1 000 nmol/L的AZD2014均可显著抑制肝癌细胞的增殖能力,抑制程度与其浓度呈正相关（P < 0.05）;荧光定量PCR和Western blot检测结果显示,500和1 000 nmol/L的AZD2014可显著降低肝癌细胞内UHRF1 mRNA及蛋白的表达水平。结论：AZD2014可能通过抑制肝癌细胞内UHRF1的表达水平来抑制肝癌细胞的增殖能力。