Conclusions:The potent antitumor activity as a single agent in preclinical models combined with its favorable pharmacodynamic profile makes JNJ-26481585 a promising "second-generation" HDAC inhibitor. The compound is currently in clinical studies, to evaluate its potential applicability in a broad spectrum of both solid and hematologic malignancies. (Clin Cancer Res 2009;15(22):6841-51)

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling plays critical roles in key biological processes ranging from embryogenesis to wound healing and has strong links to several hallmarks of cancer. Genetic alterations in FGF receptor (FGFR) family members are associated with increased tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and decreased survival. JNJ-42756493, erdafitinib, is an orally active small molecule with potent tyrosine kinase inhibitory activity against all four FGFR family members and selectivity versus other highly related kinases. JNJ-42756493 shows rapid uptake into the lysosomal compartment of cells in culture, which is associated with prolonged inhibition of FGFR signaling, possibly due to sustained release of the inhibitor. In xenografts from human tumor cell lines or patient-derived tumor tissue with activating FGFR alterations, JNJ-42756493 administration results in potent and dose-dependent antitumor activity accompanied by pharmacodynamic modulation of phospho-FGFR and phospho-ERK in tumors. The results of the current study provide a strong rationale for the clinical investigation of JNJ-42756493 in patients with tumors harboring FGFR pathway alterations.

Cobalt, the catalyst of choice: The diastereoselective cobalt-catalyzed cross-coupling of 1-bromo glycosides and aryl or vinyl Grignard reagents is described. A convenient and inexpensive catalyst, [Co(acac)(3)]/tmeda (acac = acetylacetonate, tmeda = N,N'-tetramethylethylenediamine), gives full α selectivity in the mannose and galactose series, and an α selectivity in the glucose series with α/β ratios of 1.3:1-3:1.

R306465 is a novel hydroxamate-based histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor with broad-spectrum antitumour activity against solid and haematological malignancies in preclinical models. R306465 was found to be a potent inhibitor of HDAC1 and -8 (class I) in vitro. It rapidly induced histone 3 (H3) acetylation and strongly upregulated expression of p21 waf1,cip1 , a downstream component of HDAC1 signalling, in A2780 ovarian carcinoma cells. R306465 showed class I HDAC isotype selectivity as evidenced by poor inhibition of HDAC6 (class IIb) confirmed by the absence of downregulation of Hsp90 chaperone c-raf protein expression and tubulin acetylation. This distinguished it from other HDAC inhibitors currently in clinical development that were either more potent towards HDAC6 (e.g. vorinostat) or had a broader HDAC inhibition spectrum (e.g. panobinostat). R306465 potently inhibited cell proliferation of all main solid tumour indications, including ovarian, lung, colon, breast and prostate cancer cell lines, with IC 50 values ranging from 30 to 300 nM. Haematological cell lines, including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, acute myeloid leukaemia, chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia, chronic myeloid leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, were potently inhibited at a similar concentration range. R306465 induced apoptosis and inhibited angiogenesis in cell-based assays and had potent oral in vivo antitumoral activity in xenograft models. Once-daily oral administration of R306465 at well-tolerated doses inhibited the growth of A2780 ovarian, H460 lung and HCT116 colon carcinomas in immunodeficient mice. The high activity of R306465 in cell-based assays and in vivo after oral administration makes R306465 a promising novel antitumoral agent with potential applicability in a broad spectrum of human malignancies.

R115777 (R)-6-amino[(4-chlorophenyl)(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl]-4-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-2(1H)-quinolinone is a potent and selective inhibitor of farnesyl protein transferase with significant antitumor effects in vivo subsequent to oral administration in mice. Taking its roots into Janssen's ketoconazole and retinoic acid catabolism programs, our interest into Ras prenylation process led us stepwise to identify the key structural features of R115777. Methodology, structure activity relationships, and pharmacology will be presented. R115777 is currently in phase III clinical evaluation.

The discovery that post‐translational farnesylation of Ras oncoprotein was an essential step in exercising its biological effect led to the design of farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors (FTIs) in order to control growth of tumors bearing Ras mutations. Pre‐clinical studies on murine models have confirmed their inhibitory effect on tumor growth and enabled clinical development. R115777 (ZARNESTRATM) is currently undergoing clinical evaluation and recent studies have confirmed its antitumor potential and low toxicity. We wish to describe here the chemical synthesis routes that our group have developed to access ZARNESTRATM. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)

The winners of the Malcolm Campbell Memorial Prize for 2019 discuss the discovery of erdafitinib.

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